Saw You Next Year
by C0ldSteel
Summary: Jack and the Doctor have two journeys to take... one to catch a villain and one to find each other. T rating is for unrequited slash...ness. Major spoilers for both Doctor Who and Torchwood. You've been warned! Jack/Doctor
1. Reunion

_This is chapter one; more to follow!_

_Story begins during Torchwood, early season two-ish. Enjoy.  
_

* * *

"Doctor!"

The Doctor paused. "Oh, damn. I know that voice. It's you, isn't it." He turned slowly. "All right, you caught me."

Jack grinned. "Guess how long I've been waiting this time."

"But you've been busy, haven't you? Torchwood?"

"Hey, keep it down," Jack said, putting an arm conspiratorially around the Doctor's shoulders. "That kind of thing is classified, you know."

"Classified, ass-ified," the Doctor muttered. But he put his arm around Jack and began walking with him. "How long were you waiting?"

Jack's grin grew wider.

* * *

"So, then Gwen starts cheating on her boyfriend with Owen, of all people… I mean, not that he's that bad or anything, but Ianto's the better-looking, obviously, and frankly the easier to get along with—"

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"When I asked you to tell me what you and your team's been up to… I didn't want a soap opera episode. Have you been encountering aliens? Anything interesting come through the rift?"

Jack set his glass down. "That's the boring stuff. The heavy stuff that can wait until we're someplace more private."

"You mean you want to spill all the gossip before we run into someone from Torchwood."

"No, I—well, that too, but…"

The Doctor sighed. "Fine. Carry on." He did his best to follow what Jack was saying. It probably wouldn't matter if he missed a few details.

"So, between Gwen's ghost boyfriend and Owen's pilot from the past, they decided to break it off…"

"You don't say anything about your own relationships."

"Huh?" Jack paused.

"That's not normal for you—usually you're all over the chart. Women, men… aliens. You're only talking about the team."

"Well. When I tell you about myself… if that time ever comes…"

"Never mind," the Doctor said. "I'm sure you have your reasons; I don't need to hear them."

Jack ran a finger around his glass's rim, his mood somewhat dampened. "I did… kind of fall in love with my namesake."

"What?"

"The guy whose name I took for my con operation," Jack explained, not looking up. "I picked someone somewhat interesting whose life was cut short… an RAF captain. I never expected to get to meet him. Let alone…" he trailed off.

"Good grief, you do get around," the Doctor muttered.

"What can I say?" Jack said with a weak smile. He wondered how much was showing on his face. "Other than that… well, I guess I kind of flirt with all the team members now and then, but they know how to take it."

"Oh, I need to meet your team—get some advice."

"Ha ha," Jack said, his smile genuine now. "Ianto and I are... well, we're not official or anything yet. I asked him for a date." He paused. "Actually… I'm sure it wouldn't hurt anything to show you around headquarters. As long as you can respect that it's my turf. And no landing the Tardis close to the base, ok? I don't want to have to explain that to them. Gwen nearly saw it last time."

He watched the Doctor's face, and he could tell he had the timelord's interest.

"Well… I would like to see your base of operations, certainly. All right then. After lunch?"

"The sooner, the better."

* * *

_More soon. :) Comments are welcome. Message me to commission me._


	2. Pizza

_Chapter two. Dr Who and Torchwood are not mine, but the writing sure as hell is.  
_

* * *

"Oh, that's obscene!" the Doctor exclaimed, gaping at the severed hand in the preservative jar.

"Jack's here!" a female voice announced from another room. "Ianto, see who he brought with him."

"Do they know about this thing?" the Doctor asked quickly.

Jack shook his head. "Nah. It's how I knew you were coming, though. Handy. Ha! Get it?"

"Well… I won't say anything, then, but you and I are having a chat later."

"Promise?" Jack asked, his face the picture of childish longing.

"Shut up."

A clean-cut man in a neat suit came in then. "Hello, Jack. Who's this?"

"I'm the Doctor," the Doctor said, offering a hand to Ianto. "An acquaintance of your leader's."

"_The_ Doctor?"

"'Fraid so. That's me. You?"

"Ianto. Sort of management. The level head of the operation here."

"I don't doubt it," the Doctor said appreciatively. He remembered Jack saying he'd asked Ianto out. "You poor soul."

Jack grinned. "Now, don't go stealing Ianto's affections—I've worked hard for the ground I've gained."

Ianto shrugged off Jack's teasing with only slight awkwardness. "The others are all inside. We ordered pizza."

"Pizza," the Doctor said excitedly as they went to another part of the base, "Oh, it's been forever!"

"Guess you'll have to have some, then," said a dark-haired woman, the owner of the voice they had heard earlier. "I'm Gwen."

_Has live-in boyfriend, slept with Owen, now shakily back with boyfriend,_ the Doctor's memory recited to him. _Jack and his bloody relationship information. Wonder if he told me anything useful in there…_

"Owen here," Owen supplied.

_Had a fling with Gwen before Diane, the 50s pilot, now not in a confirmed relationship. Dammit, this has got to stop._

"And I'm Toshiko—Tosh."

_Had a brief affair with an alien, once fancied Owen, fell for a guy in cryogenic freeze…_ "Nice to meet you all. I'm the Doctor," the Doctor said. _Confound you, Jack, you told me just enough so I'd feel awkward around all of them._

Jack was smiling broadly. "There's the pizza—help yourself."

The Doctor followed this advice since it was a perfect excuse not to talk.

"So, you're the doctor Jack told us about?" Gwen asked, excitement coming through in her voice.

"Gwen's our liaison with the police, our profiler, and our anchor in reality," Jack told the Doctor.

The Doctor nodded and took a large bite of pizza, wondering what exactly Jack had told them about him.

"Owen's our doctor—not like you, of course, but he's great with the forceps."

"Why does that sound like you seriously dissed me?" Owen asked with a frown.

"Tosh is our tech genius. So, there you have it: the complete team. Considering they're all ordinary humans, it's amazing that I can run this operation with just the four of them. We five can accomplish about what you and I could do if we were a team." Jack flashed the Doctor a winning smile.

"Hey, we're still in the room, you know," Gwen protested.

"Much as I hate to side with Gwen," Owen put in, "I feel like you're selling us short. You gonna fire us then, and make your doctor friend your new partner?"

"Partner. That sounds nice."

The Doctor shook his head. "Don't worry; I'm only passing through. And I'm sure you're all quite capable."

"Yeah. Besides, firing you once was enough. Tosh," Jack called across the room, "would you show the Doctor what we've been working on?"

The Doctor took his pizza with him to where he could see Tosh's computer screens. He listened with interest as she explained their latest maneuvers. "It does sound dangerous, but also like you've got things well in hand here. Well done, all of you."

"Thanks for the congratulations," Ianto said slowly, "but do you even understand it all? Who are you?"

"Just the Doctor. Passing through, as I said. Jack and I were friends a long time ago. Far away. We run into each other every now and again is all."

"Goodness knows we all have our secrets," Gwen put in, "let's not grill our guest." She stood. "Doctor, how about you come along and we'll get some tea for everyone?"

"Delighted," the Doctor replied.

Jack eyed Gwen suspiciously as she passed him. "What are you up to?"

"Jack," she scolded, "I'm not going to steal your boyfriend."

"I'm not his—" the Doctor started, but Gwen tugged him along.

"Right, so," Gwen said as soon as they were out of the others' hearing, "I'm not going to ask where you came from or any of that, since I don't think you want us to know. But I do want to know: When did you meet Jack? And how?"

The Doctor smiled slightly. "Met him during the London blitz."

Gwen stared. "But… he was in Cardiff during the blitz. He and Tosh got there by accident…"

"He was in London, too—slightly different time. I followed him there with my friend Rose. He ended up traveling with us for a bit after that."

"Because he—I know it's not my business, but was he in love with you?"

"In those days, I think he fancied Rose more."

Gwen laughed. "So, d'you like him? I mean, are you an item? He seems a bit possessive."

"No, no. Just friends."

"What made you split up?"

"Kettle's boiling."

"Hmm? Oh…" Gwen set about brewing the tea. "So, did Jack leave you to start Torchwood back up?"

The Doctor was silent for a while. "Sort of," he murmured. "That's one way of looking at it, I s'pose."

Gwen hesitated. "Did I pry too much? I'm sorry."

"No," the Doctor said, brightening. "I'm not afraid to tell someone to mind their own business if needs be."

"Well then… there is one more thing I'm dying to know. This last time. When Jack disappeared. He was right here at the base and then suddenly he was gone. When he came back he said he'd found his doctor. What happened? He won't talk about it."

The Doctor went about fixing his tea to his taste, taking his time in answering. "Well… yes, he was with me. We traveled a bit… had a couple of adventures. One that nearly killed us all and doomed the world to slavery… but other than that. Nothing much."

Gwen blinked. "All that in a couple of days?"

"To us, of course, it was more like a year… at least. It gets hard to figure how much _time_ you're actually spending when you're traveling through it, you know?"

"And how'd you get back here?"

He shrugged. "Alas, I think it's time to mind our own business. Shall we?"

* * *

"Nice to be on the receiving end for a change," Ianto told Gwen pointedly when she handed him his tea.

"Come into my office for a minute," Jack invited the Doctor.

The Doctor scanned the others' faces. They all looked interested, but it didn't seem like going to Jack's office was a euphemism for anything dangerous, so he accepted the invitation.

"They're a really good team, and I love working with them," Jack said as he shut them in, "but I have to admit I'd leave them in a heartbeat if you asked me to join you."

"Guess I'd best make it clear that you can't, then. Because what you're doing here is important. It's good work, Jack. I'm impressed."

Jack sat back on his desk. "Thanks. I really want to kiss you now."

"Try, and I'll throw my tea in your face."

"Is that all? Sounds worth it."

"It's scalding."

"I've been through death several times. You think a little pain scares me?"

The Doctor stirred his tea slowly, smiling in spite of himself. "What does scare you, Jack?"

Jack sobered. He looked at the Doctor for a long time before answering. "Being alone," he said quietly. "If I were trapped somewhere, knowing that I'd be alone forever… I'd go completely mad." He got up and turned away, shuffling some papers around on the desk. "What about you? What are you afraid of?"

* * *

_Sorry for the cliff hanger. :p Next chapter should be up soon._


	3. Weapons

_Enjoy the read. I thought since it took so long last time, you deserved this chapter right away. :)  
_

* * *

The Doctor took so long, Jack thought he wasn't planning to answer at all. Then:

"I'm afraid of failing."

"Failing?"

"I've failed so many people, Jack. There's Rose. There's the time war… I was the only one that survived. I wasn't able to save a single one of my people. Only my own pathetic skin. And there's the Master..."

Jack wanted to go to him, to wrap the Doctor up and tell him everything was all right—but he knew that sort of behavior wouldn't help on this occasion. Not with this person.

"I didn't want to outlive everyone. That's not how it's supposed to work. You're not supposed to outlive your children."

Jack couldn't keep himself from turning to stare at his friend. "Children," he repeated. "You had…? Oh, god. I'm so sorry…"

The Doctor didn't meet his gaze. "They were… everything to me. And I didn't even understand it until they were gone," he whispered.

"Doctor…" Jack wasn't sure when he'd crossed the space between them, but now he was wondering how he could ask if it was all right to touch his friend. If possible, he wanted to get his request across without words, to save a little of the awkwardness…

The Doctor slipped his hand into Jack's.

_Well, there's a clear answer._ Jack squeezed the Doctor's hand and took a tiny step closer.

"I shouldn't be talking about this," the Doctor said.

"Sometimes you need to talk about these things," Jack answered. "I know it's a big relief to talk to you about Torchwood. Someone outside the usual group." He waited, deciding to let his friend choose what came next.

What came next was what Jack had thought would never happen. The Doctor stepped closer to him, wrapped an arm around him and set his head on Jack's shoulder. "They're all gone, Jack. Each regeneration it hits me again: I'm alone."

Jack returned the embrace, gently leaning his head against the Doctor's. "It's okay," he whispered, knowing it wasn't true, but not knowing what else to say. Tears clouded his vision as he felt his friend's agony through the rigid frame and heaving ribcage. The irregular breathing told him that the Doctor was probably shedding tears of his own. "Doctor… I'm so sorry."

Gradually, the Doctor's breathing began to return to normal. "Sorry about that," he said in a raw-sounding voice.

"No problem." Jack squeezed the Doctor's shoulder and let him go._ There's nothing I can do for him. In the end, I'm just another useless human._

The Doctor cleared his throat. "So… what's back here?" he indicated the doorway behind Jack.

"Weapons training room. Wanna see?"

"Oh, yes. _Allons-y."_

Jack smiled slightly. "Should I brush up my French?"

"You keep your French to yourself," the Doctor muttered.

Jack laughed. He led the Doctor into the practice range and showed him their variety in weapons.

"What's that on the targets?" the Doctor asked.

"An alien we've been seeing a lot lately. We don't know its proper name, so we've been calling them weevils. You've never seen them?"

The Doctor walked closer to the target and studied the picture. "It's possible," he said. "I've seen so many species, you know. Not sure about this one. Looks like a nasty piece of work."

"We've got a live one downstairs."

"Really!"

"Yeah. We're trying to find a way to communicate with them so we can figure out what they want and get them to leave the humans alone. So far… no good." Jack shrugged.

The Doctor selected a heavy-duty gun and looked it over. "Like the one you used on Satellite Five."

"Based on it," Jack said proudly. "I haven't had any need for it here, but I like having it around."

"You always liked big guns."

"What can I say?"

"A damn lot sometimes." The Doctor smiled and put the gun away. "How did you choose your team members?"

"Hand-picked, of course. Tosh and Owen came first. Easy choices. Then Suzie and Ianto."

"Suzie?"

"Now dead. The job got into her head. She turned against us."

"Gwen replaced her?"

"Right."

"And… are you ever worried about one of the others going rogue on you?"

"Once in a while. But I did learn from Suzie. I'm trying to keep better tabs now. There's only so much you can do, though."

The Doctor nodded. "Maybe you'd better plan on replacing each member after a certain period of service. Twenty-first century humans just can't handle this sort of thing that long."

"It's just as hard to deal with the thought of going back to a normal life," Jack pointed out. "Once you've done this, everything else seems… pointless."

"Well, there's post-war conditioning and so forth. You'll have to do the same with them. Retrain them for civilian life."

"Easier said than done."

They heard footsteps approaching and a moment later, Owen poked his head in. "Everything all right? You lot need anything?"

"You have really bad luck, Owen," Jack said, grinning.

"How d'you mean?"

"Obviously, you all played some sort of game of chance to see who would come check on us."

Owen rolled his eyes. "No, actually. It was a unanimous vote. Well, unanimous except for mine, but what's that count for?"

"So, are you here to make sure I'm not molesting the guest?"

"Dunno. That or the opposite, maybe, but somehow I don't think you'd put up a fight."

"Oh, look at the time," the Doctor said, not bothering to locate a timepiece in his pointed attempt to change the subject.

"Do you have to go?" Jack asked reluctantly.

"I'm not here just on holiday, Jack."

"You mean you didn't come to see me? I'm hurt. Will you come back tomorrow?"

"Dunno… tell you what. I'll give you a call and you can visit the Tardis tomorrow, if I'm not too busy."

"Okay. Better than nothing." Jack took the Doctor to the lift and pulled his friend onto the platform with him, shamelessly taking the opportunity to put his arm around him.

The Doctor didn't protest, but he gave Jack a look that said, _Don't think I don't know exactly what you're up to._ He noticed Ianto giving them an odd look.

Soon they were on the sidewalk above the base.

"Thanks for the lift," the Doctor said lightly.

"No problem. May I walk you home?"

"I think I'll be all right, thanks."

"Kiss you goodbye?"

"Sure—next time we're about to die."

Jack sighed, but he smiled. "Better late than never. See you tomorrow, then."

"Right. Till then, Captain. Oh, and Jack? Is Ianto the jealous type? Because I think he's wondering where he stands now that I'm around."

Jack licked his lips. "Crap," he muttered.

"Yeah, you might want to see to that."

* * *

_*evil laugh* Thanks for reading!_


	4. Bargain

_And one more. :) The real adventure begins here, for those skimming the lead-in. :p  
_

* * *

"You're still here."

Jack looked up. "That's my line, Ianto. What time is it?"

Ianto shrugged. "After one, I guess."

"Come in. Sit down. Have some grapes."

Ianto went around the desk to sit stiffly in Jack's extra chair. He looked at the grapes like he thought they looked threatening.

"Are you mad at me?" Jack asked.

"No."

"You said that quickly. Like you were expecting it."

Ianto shrugged.

"Are you jealous of the Doctor?"

"Should I be?"

Jack leaned forward, trying to look Ianto in the eye. "I'm not going to lie to you. I can't tell you everything, but what I do tell you is the truth. The Doctor isn't interested in me as a lover. At all." _Dammit,_ Jack added silently.

"Are you interested in him?" Ianto still wouldn't look at Jack, and he looked very uncomfortable.

"Yes," Jack admitted.

Ianto nodded. "Okay."

Jack put his hand on Ianto's shoulder. "Listen. Just because I want someone who is unattainable doesn't mean I'm going to let my other relationships die. They're the ones that really count. Because they're possible."

"So… so you want to date me because you're not likely to get anyone as good as the Doctor—is that what you're saying?"

Jack sighed and set his head on the desk. "No. That's not what I was saying. Damn—right when I think I'm getting good at making compelling speeches, one blows up in my face. Ianto—I don't know how to say it. I just know that I've always had a lot of esteem for you. Not to mention you're hot. So… I want to try this and see if it works. That's all I _can_ do, right?"

After a moment, Ianto nodded. "Yes, I suppose so. But whatever happens…"

"We'll take it very slow. I promise. And we won't sacrifice our friendship. That stays, no matter what."

"Yes."

"Okay, then. Are we all right?"

"Yes."

"May I kiss you now?"

Ianto looked toward the door, a hint of a blush forming.

"Aw, heck, I was on a roll. Thought I'd slip that in while you were in a 'yes' mood. " Jack grinned. He patted Ianto's shoulder and stood. "Come on. You need to get home."

* * *

Jack went through the day's reports, barely seeing them.

"Nothing confirmed as alien," Gwen said, looking over the police reports.

"You sound disappointed," Jack commented. "You should be happy. Spend some time wedding planning."

Gwen groaned.

"What?"

"She's been putting it off," Tosh supplied.

"Ah. Well, at least you could be procrastinating with your fiancé. Why don't you go home early?"

Jack's vortex manipulator beeped. The others exchanged glances.

"Sure you want to answer that?" Owen asked warily.

"I'm sure it's just the Doctor." Jack answered the call and a hologram of the Doctor appeared before him.

"Do you know how blooming difficult it is to send a message to your blooming communicator when I don't have the same kind myself? Had to convince the Tardis to help me, and—well, if you've never argued with the Tardis, you wouldn't understand."

Jack laughed.

"What's the Tardis?" Ianto asked.

"Uh… private joke."

"Anyway, if you head due north from your ruddy obelisk thingamy, you'll find the box. Eventually. Of course, you can't ruddy _go_ due north very far because you'll run into buildings and such, but I'm sure you'll manage." The image faded away.

"Can you guys get along without me?" Jack asked, getting up to stretch.

"I think we've proven that, thanks," Owen muttered.

Jack bit his tongue before he could make a snipe about the _someone_ who had opened the rift not long ago and proven just how unreliable he was. "Okay. Well, I'll see you all… sometime soon."

"Jack, don't you dare disappear again," Gwen threatened.

"I won't. Don't be so paranoid." Jack winked at her. Then he saw Ianto's sober face. "I promise I'll be back soon. Maybe I can get him to come down here again. He'd be invaluable if he'd stick around a while."

"Oh, sure, any friend of yours," Owen continued his muttering. "We don't know him as well as we know the weevil downstairs, but by all means, have him over."

"At least you're supportive," Jack said sarcastically. He paused on the way out to kiss Ianto's cheek lightly. "See you soon," he said sincerely.

Ianto nodded, his shyness prevailing over any other answer.

* * *

"Ianto…" Gwen started.

"Leave it, Gwen," said Owen. "It's not our business."

"Owen's right," said Tosh, going back to her computer.

Gwen pouted. She knew something was up between Ianto and Jack. More than the usual, that was.

"He asked me out," Ianto said.

The others all turned to stare at him.

"It was… several days ago now. Weeks, maybe. We haven't set a day."

Owen looked from Ianto to Tosh and Gwen in turn.

Tosh went back to her computer again.

"Well… congratulations," Gwen offered.

"I'm only telling you because I know if you all hear it from me you won't do as much whispering behind my back," Ianto clarified.

"Oh." Gwen went back to pouting.

"Now… I'm going to feed the weevil."

The others let him go. Even Gwen didn't have the heart to say any more on the subject when he was gone. "Wonder what 'the box' is," she mused at last.

* * *

Jack couldn't help being excited. He hurried along the sidewalk, thinking of all the things he'd forgotten to tell the Doctor the day before. _I'll probably forget everything again when I lay eyes on him._ He smiled a little. He thought back to the first time he'd seen the Doctor. _He was sexy then… and now he looks younger and hotter. It's like he's trying to make this hard for me._

There was the Tardis, tucked away in a little-used alley. "Knock-knock," he said, leaning on the door.

"Come in—and lock the door after you," the Doctor's voice filtered through somewhere above him.

Jack wasn't sure whether to be thrilled or worried. Lock the door? He did as he was told and looked around the Tardis.

The Doctor was leaning against the controls, looking very tired. "Hullo, Jack."

"Hey. You all right?"

"I was this close," the Doctor said, holding up his thumb and forefinger, "to getting my man. I got delayed by one of your weevil creatures and he slipped through the rift ahead of me. No chance to track him. Could be anywhere now."

"That's too bad." Jack approached the Doctor. "You didn't answer my question. Are you okay?"

"Considering he was aiming for my throat…"

Jack rushed forward. "God. You're… that's a lot of blood."

The Doctor's shirt was drenched from the shoulder halfway down his back.

"Well… I patched it up. Not life-threatening. Otherwise, I'd have started to regenerate by now. Kept the weevil from getting any civilians; that's the main thing, innit?"

"You can't have done a very good job on this wound. This really isn't the context I was hoping for, but I get to say it anyway: Take off your shirt."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "It looks worse than it is. It's not deep."

"It could get infected very easily. Weevils live on some pretty vile stuff. We need to completely sterilize the wound."

"Who's the doctor here, anyway?" the Doctor complained. But he unbuttoned his shirt and gingerly pulled his left arm out of its sleeve.

Jack retrieved the Tardis's first response kit and began cleaning the wound. "So, who is this guy you're after?"

"Some bloody fool out to create an army of mutants."

"What, like the Daleks?"

"That's where he got the idea."

"Oh. Great."

The Doctor nodded. "Sometimes people learn from their mistakes… but I suppose it's too much to hope that they'll learn from other people's."

"Yeah." Jack set aside the cloth he'd been using to clean up the Doctor's blood and surveyed the bite marks. "You were right—they're not very deep. But still…" He traced along the red welts with his fingers.

"Jack," the Doctor said in a warning tone.

"Sorry," Jack lied. He put gauze over the wounds and began wrapping it in place. "I don't think it's a good idea to go after this guy by yourself."

"You're not coming. You're needed here."

"I can always come back. I could come back the same day, if your aim were a little better."

"It's not my fault the time streams are so wonky around Cardiff," the Doctor argued. "How about this: I'll come back in fifty years and you can go with me then."

"Fifty years?" Jack exclaimed. "No way. I'm not waiting that long again. You can't do that to me."

"After we catch him I'll go back and visit you a few times in between."

"But if we die in that adventure you'll never show up in between."

The Doctor frowned. "You can't die, and I can regenerate—we won't die."

"But supposing. Should I just pretend that I saw you so you won't freak out, or should I tell you so you'll be warned?"

"Jack. You worry too much. It'll be fine."

"Fifty years? Please…"

The Doctor turned toward the back of the Tardis. "I'm after a new shirt. Be right back."

"I'll get it. Just tell me where…"

The Doctor gave Jack some complicated directions to the wardrobe. "Right… coming right up." Jack was strongly tempted to explore the many doorways he passed, but the prospect of watching the Doctor change into a new shirt quickened his steps. He forced himself to choose quickly when he found the shirts hanging in the wardrobe.

"You'll look great in this," he told the Doctor, offering him a smart-looking collared shirt.

"Thanks." The Doctor shrugged out of his blood-soaked shirt and into the new one.

Jack stepped toward him, and then caught himself.

The Doctor looked up. "What? Are you…?" Suddenly, he scowled. "I can do up my own buttons, thanks!"

"Yeah… sure." Jack looked away, annoyed with himself.

"So, about those fifty years," the Doctor said, working on his buttons, "how about forty? You're sure to have new people trained up to take over Torchwood by then, right?"

"I don't know. But I don't want to wait that long. How about twenty?"

"Thirty-five."

"Twenty-five."

"Thirty. That's the least I'll go, Jack."

Jack smiled. "Done. And you said you'd visit me in between. Every year?"

"Steady on. I was thinking every five years."

"What! Every two, maybe…"

* * *

_The die is cast. Their fates are sealed. I'm using cliches... how interesting! :p  
_


	5. Mission

_Onward! Enjoy the read.  
_

* * *

"Sure you won't stay a while and help us out?"

"You're handling things just fine, Jack. I'll see you in thirty years."

"In two years," Jack reminded him quickly.

"Yes, well, for me it'll be… tomorrow or something."

"You're always welcome," Gwen said, smiling.

Tosh gave the Doctor an encouraging look, Ianto nodded, and Owen waved to show that he wasn't completely oblivious to the conversation.

"I'll take you up," Jack said, beckoning the Doctor toward the lift.

Once on the sidewalk, Jack said, "If Torchwood is still in full operation when you get back, I'm still going with you."

"What if you're in the middle of an invasion?"

"So, help us stop it and then we'll leave."

"Oh, of course," the Doctor said sarcastically. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Why is it no one wants to give this planet a chance, anyway?" Jack wondered. "We haven't found any of those friendly type aliens who 'come in peace.' They all want a piece of Earth."

"Give them time. Humans are barely interesting to them at this point. They'll come round."

When the Tardis came into view, Jack put his arm around the Doctor's shoulders. "Don't forget, you agreed to visit every two years."

The Doctor sighed. "Remind me in thirty years when I see you next."

"I will."

They stopped in front of the Tardis. The Doctor let Jack give him a proper hug. Over Jack's shoulder, he spotted a little girl staring at them from the end of the alley.

"Oi, go on—mind your own business," he told her.

Jack turned in time to see her trotting off with a very puzzled expression. He grinned. "Don't you love the curiosity children have?"

"Yes, well… sometimes." The Doctor held out his hand to Jack. "Goodbye, then."

Jack shook his hand firmly. "Goodbye, Doctor." He kept the smile on his face as the Doctor went inside and until the Tardis faded away. He tried not to think about how difficult it would be to wait two years…

The Doctor set his coordinates for Cardiff, thirty years in the future. _Do I really want another dose of Jack so soon?_ he wondered. But he knew he wanted to catch his man, and he'd agreed to take Jack with him, so it couldn't be helped. The Tardis began to pump and resonate, and soon he felt the familiar sensation of falling through time.

—Thirty years later—

The Tardis landed by the statue and the Doctor stepped outside. He looked around for Jack and his eyes came to rest on the empty sidewalk.

"Are you there?"

Jack stepped off the camouflaged spot. "Hello, Doctor."

Something seemed off. The Doctor approached Jack slowly. "How've you been?"

Jack pulled the Doctor into an embrace. "It's good to see you," he said.

"What's wrong? Did I not show up in between?" the Doctor asked, beginning to worry.

"No, you did. Everything's… fine."

"That's an outright lie."

"Yeah. But I don't want to tell you about it right now."

The Doctor leaned back to study Jack's face. "When will you tell me?"

"Before you leave again."

"Okay." The Doctor tried to assume a cheerful mood. "How's Torchwood?"

Jack nodded down the sidewalk and they began walking. "Entirely new team now. Gwen's happily married with two kids. Tosh… Tosh and Owen got married. Retired in Japan."

"Ianto?" The Doctor waited. Jack's face was blank.

"Ianto went back to Torchwood London. He's retired now, too."

The Doctor didn't dare ask how Jack's relationship with Ianto had turned out. He supposed he might find out later, when he visited Jack in the past.

"Do you want to meet the new team? You've already met some of them in the past, so it might feel a little awkward."

"Let's not, then," the Doctor decided. "I'll buy you a drink and then we'll be off."

"Okay; sounds good."

"I'll need to borrow money to buy it for you, though."

Jack laughed. "All right. I'll lend you a few Euros. You really need to collect some currency now and then so you won't have this problem."

* * *

"As you can see, bars haven't changed a whole lot in the last thirty years," Jack said.

The Doctor looked around. "No, they haven't. Have the drinks?"

"Nope. I'll have scotch. You choose."

The Doctor ordered Jack's drink and looked around at all the humans. The fashions had changed slightly, but they were still having the same pointless conversations about whose work shift got rescheduled, who needed an attitude adjustment and who was likely having an affair. He sighed and shook his head, smiling slightly.

"What?" Jack asked.

"Humans."

"Ah. Yeah."

Suddenly, someone caught the Doctor's eye. It was a woman who looked to be in her late thirties or early forties. She was staring at them. She looked somewhat familiar, but he wasn't sure why.

"When you hugged me goodbye thirty years ago, there was a little girl watching us, remember?"

"Oh. Yeah. I forgot about that."

"I think that's her, looking at us."

Jack glanced over at the woman who was still glancing at them from time to time. "Yeah. We met her before. She helped me out a few times over the years."

"There are probably a lot of people in Cardiff who have started to notice you, and wonder why you're not aging."

Jack was silent a minute. Then he said, "Maybe, but they don't wonder for long. Humans still ignore most things they don't understand. Don't try to talk to her. You'll meet her in my past."

The Doctor nodded. "So, about this man I'm after. He's a human hybrid himself. And he wasn't really wanted by anyone, even his own parents, so he has the old unloved sob story. And he decides he wants power to get some respect and so forth, but all he has going for him is his study of genetic engineering—I expect that came of studying his own lineage. Anyway, he's piecing together species from all over the universe, trying to develop the perfect soldier."

"Did he do the whole no-emotions thing?"

"No; he wanted to be able to reason with them. So far he's planning to let them keep everything except fear, but he's done something to their ability to choose as well—he wants them to rely on him for everything."

Jack tossed back the remainder of his drink. "And how many of these creatures does he have?"

"He's still in the experimental stages, or was, when I last saw him. He had only a couple dozen of the things."

"How do we find him?"

"Process of elimination."

"When you're narrowing down the whole of time and space… that doesn't seem like the best system."

"He can't hide from history; we'll go into the future, take a look back and see what he's up to. It's bound to give us a good starting point."

"All right; let's go."

The Doctor left Jack's money on the counter and they turned to leave.

Jack nodded to the staring woman with a small smile. Outside, he said, "That poor woman is going to wonder about us all her life."

"Let her wonder, Jack. It's good for her mind."

"If it doesn't drive her crazy."

* * *

_What doesn't kill you makes you stronger and what doesn't drive you crazy makes you smarter? Only time will tell.  
_


	6. Tsukiga

_The Adventure gets underway! hold on tight!  
_

* * *

"At least Raxicoricofalapatorius has no records of him; I don't fancy going there, and it means we are able to stop him before his reach gets that long," the Doctor said, perusing a holobook in the library of New New York.

"Thank God," Jack muttered.

"On the other hand, Raxicoricofalapatorius is notorious for not caring about what happens to other planets, so it doesn't really narrow down our timeframe at all."

"Dammit," Jack put in.

"Let's try… Alypumstein. It's famous for its research plants…"

Jack stood by, hating to let the Doctor do all the work, but not wanting to make it obvious that this kind of research wasn't his strong suit.

"Aha!" the Doctor cried. "Alypumstein's historical dark era was when the self-named professor Henrie Tsukiga began developing his mutant soldiers in the city of Algaru. His facility was set up just months after the beginning of the Moon Dynasty, by permission of the young emperor."

"To Algaru, then?" Jack asked.

"It would seem so. Let me just pinpoint the year… and we'll give him a bit of a head start."

Jack frowned. "What for?"

"Because everything you change has a consequence. We don't want the records to be drastically different when we're through."

"But maybe they won't be anyway. Maybe the records are the way they are because we've gone back and changed them."

The Doctor looked at Jack over his glasses. "That's exactly what I'm saying. And if so, we must have given him a head start, or he'd barely be worth mentioning here. But there's a whole page on his research, his attempt at raising an army and so forth… we can't have cut it off before it began."

Jack sighed. "I see what you're saying. I'm just wondering how many lives will be lost for each day that we delay our arrival."

"The statistics can't always be pretty."

"Do what you think's best, then. Just remember: even if we arrived the day it began, that doesn't mean we were able to stop it right away. We can always hold back."

"Fair point. No head start, then."

Soon the Tardis was underway and Jack felt his adrenaline rising in anticipation. He knew that the Doctor would come through this alive, and he was quite sure, from the way the Doctor had behaved in his visits, that he would as well. But how they would get through it was still a mystery. He had only one clue, and at present, it told him nothing.

"Here we are—Alypumstein. D'you want to blend in with the natives?"

"I don't mind standing out."

The Doctor nodded. "I thought you'd say that. Algaru is a big city, so please—" he looked sternly at Jack. "Don't. Wander. Off."

"Okay, okay, mother."

"We'll see if you can do better than Rose."

Jack smiled, remembering their blonde friend fondly. "To bad we don't have her along. She always kept things interesting."

"What a dull way of putting it. Come on."

As they exited the Tardis into bright sunlight and slightly lower gravity than Jack was used to, he said casually, "So… do you still dance?" He waited. Maybe the Doctor wouldn't deign to answer…

"Haven't had much opportunity lately."

"If you did… would you?"

The Doctor shrugged. "Dunno. If the mood was right, I s'pose."

Jack smiled to himself.

They soon met a native Algaruan and the Doctor greeted it. "Can you tell me where we can find Professor Tsukiga?" he asked politely.

The Algaruan shook its furry head. "I… couldn't say."

"Well then, could you tell me where's the best research and development plant in the city?"

The Algaruan turned and pointed toward the largest building in view. "New Morning, of course."

"Thank you." The Doctor smiled and led the way on toward the building.

Jack paused by the resident and winked at it. "Thanks. Hope we see you again."

It blinked its bright teal eyes. "Perhaps you shall."

"So," Jack said to the Doctor, "We arrived right after Tsukiga's army starts developing, or…?"

"The army is supposed to march on the city soon—that's when the planet finally takes notice of him. He's gonna try to take it over, and we've got to stop him."

"Sounds good. And we're trying the direct approach first? Shouldn't we try the element of surprise?"

The Doctor shook his head. "He already knows I'm after him; he'll be waiting for me to show up, no matter what."

"Okay. You're the boss. So, I'm just going to throw this out there: On one of your visits, you told me some pretty off the wall stuff and asked a favor of me. You don't know what I'm talking about though, right?"

The Doctor blinked. "Don't think so."

"Okay. You must not have formed your plan yet."

"What plan?"

"I still don't know exactly. And I think it's best if I don't tell you the clues you gave me. Otherwise, things might not turn out right."

"Fair enough. On to New Morning, then."

Jack followed, wondering when or if he would manage to understand all of his encounters with the Doctor in order.

A humanoid robot met them at the large building's entrance. The white surface of everything in the reception room made the interior seem as bright as the day outside.

"Please state your name and business," the robot requested.

"I'm the Doctor and this is my associate, Captain Harkness. We're looking for Professor Tsukiga."

"That's _Jack_ Harkness," Jack added.

"One moment, please." The robot turned toward a computer terminal and connected to it via a protrusion from its palm.

The Doctor kicked Jack's ankle. "It's not even a bloody life form."

"It's sentient," Jack snapped. "No harm in being friendly."

"I beg to differ."

"Wear these, please," the robot said, holding out name tags to them.

The Doctor glanced at them before passing one to Jack. His said, "The Doctor: for Professor Tsukiga." Jack's said, "Capt. Jack Harkness: Doctor's associate."

"Very nice," Jack commented. "But I'm not sure white is my color."

"At least white goes with anything," said the Doctor.

"The captain would look excellent in white tie dress," the robot added.

Jack tilted his head with a pleased expression. "You really think so?"

The Doctor elbowed him. "So, which way to the professor?"

"The professor's research is conducted on floor point zero eight; you may start looking there."

"Thank you." The Doctor grabbed Jack by the arm. "Come on, Romeo, let's go."

"Romeo," Jack griped, "was interested only in little girls…"

"Oh, shut up. Don't ever think you know Shakespeare better than I do!" The Doctor pulled Jack into a lift. "Floor point zero eight, please."

"Going down," a metallic voice said.

The floor seemed to drop out from under them, and Jack and the Doctor found themselves suspended above it.

"Are we weightless, or free-falling, or…?" Jack wondered.

"Long as we don't hit bottom suddenly, I don't much care."

After a minute or two, they slowly sank back to the floor and the lift came to a stop. The doors opened and the metallic voice announced, "Floor point zero eight. Leased to Professor Tsukiga with permission of Emperor Elmond and by a grant from Lady Cassandra O'Brien."

"Might have known," the Doctor muttered. "Never trust that woman, Jack."

"Hmm," said Jack, not listening. "Long empty hallway. Lot of doors. Which way?"

"We could split up."

Jack considered. "I don't know. I've never met Tsukiga; what do I do if I find him?"

"Stall him until I get there? You could tell him he'd look good in white tie."

Jack laughed sarcastically. "And what will you do if you find him?"

"Reason with him. He's got a good mind, after all. It must be capable of understanding more than genetic engineering."

"How likely are we to be able to save him?"

"Not sure, but I think there's a good chance," the Doctor said. "Why?"

"Just wondering if I brought enough firepower."

"Guns are our last resort."

"I know."

Jack took the right side and began looking through open doors and pushing closed ones open just enough to look inside. There were technicians everywhere, but none that looked like a professor.

Then he came to a locked door. The narrow window allowed him to see the back of a man dressed in white jeans and a tight, long-sleeved shirt. He was standing in front of what looked like a dimly-lit Earth prison cell, and inside it something large was moving around quickly.

"Doctor?" Jack said, holding a button on his earpiece.

"Yes?"

"I think I've got something—room one-oh-two."

"On my way."

Jack looked back through the window, but the man had disappeared. A moment later the door opened, and Jack took a step back.

The man had jet-black hair, a rounded face, short nose, claw-like fingernails… and a great physique, as far as Jack was concerned.

"God, you _would_ look good in white tie," Jack murmured.

The man noted Jack's name tag. "Won't you come in, Captain? Make yourself comfortable until the Doctor arrives?"

"Don't mind if I do. Are you Professor Tsukiga?"

"I am. I suppose you've come to stop me. I've been expecting the Doctor to show up."

Jack looked past Tsukiga into the cell. He realized that it was not one creature, but two, moving around the cage, grappling wildly.

"What are they?"

"Two soldier prototypes," Tsukiga supplied. "They'll fight to the death, and then I'll know which formula is stronger."

"Is this how you test all your developments? Pit them against each other until one dies?"

"Nothing would be more logical," the professor replied.

"But they're sentient life forms. You can't treat them like this."

Tsukiga sighed. "You have very old fashioned ethics. The soldiers want it this way as much as I do."

* * *

_What will happen next? Oh wait, I already know.  
_


	7. Soldiers

_The plot thickens... add water and stir vigorously if it gets too thick for you.  
_

* * *

The Doctor found Jack with Professor Tsukiga, the two of them having a companionable chat. Leave it to Jack's charm.

"Doctor," Tsukiga said, turning toward him. "I'm surprised it took you so long to catch up."

"It's only been about a day since I last saw you," the Doctor answered. "How long has it been for you?"

"Don't worry, I was able to cope with your absence. Your friend here seems a bit naïve. He thinks that survival of the fittest is immoral."

"_Origin of the Species_ is a bit outdated, you have to admit," the Doctor pointed out. "People just pick and choose what they want to believe, these days. You believe you're helping nature along; Jack believes you're going against your own nature. To-may-toh, to-mah-toh."

"And what is 'my own nature,' Doctor? Human nature? Rapcen nature?"

Jack quickly reviewed his species study in his head. _Rapcen… cat-like humanoid creatures… carnivorous, mate for life, fight yearly for control of the band._ "Have you used your own DNA in developing your soldiers?"

"Of course. What would be more ethical? I am my own most willing test subject. But we're far beyond that now."

One of the creatures hit the bars with resounding force. The Doctor caught sight of a muscled arm and the flash of sharp teeth.

"However strong they are, they can't deflect bullets," Jack pointed out.

"That's why Lady Cassandra has put a lot of her funding into obtaining impervious amulets for them. When those are in place, the soldiers' hides cannot be pierced."

Jack remembered the sleeper soldier Torchwood had encountered and wondered if it was the same technology. "Well, you could always run over them with a large vehicle and break their backs."

"They're too agile for that," Tsukiga said, smiling.

"Let's take a rest from this destructive conversation," the Doctor interrupted. "Let's talk about why this research project needs to stop."

"Research project? It's gone far beyond that, Doctor. I've been waiting for you for a long time. More than five years, in fact."

"Five years? But… I can't have been that far off."

"No; your aim was fine. I've purposely kept my research secret so that it would seem as if my domination were a sudden happenstance. But in fact, my soldiers are developed well enough for the first round. The cast-offs are out living among the inhabitants here as we speak. When the army begins operations, they will be there to back us up." Tsukiga flipped a switch on the wall, and the caged animals came into full view.

The creatures were lean, but well-muscled. Their bodies were covered with short hair, their eyes were large and narrowed, and their ears were small, pinned back on their skulls in an aggressive pose.

Jack caught his breath. "Doctor—they look just like that Algaruan we saw when we first arrived."

"Not just like," Tsukiga corrected. "I think you'll find that these are stronger, fiercer and more cunning. I've collected the best DNA from across the universe to perfect them. These two are females—the males are larger and stronger still. Whoever wins this combat will mother the next brood."

One of the creatures shrieked just then, and the Doctor turned quickly to see the deciding blow. One soldier tore at the other's throat until the howls died away.

Jack had run to the cage door and was clearly searching for a way to open it. "You can't do this! She doesn't have to die."

"Allow me," Tsukiga said calmly. He punched in the door's code and it swung open.

"Jack," the Doctor said uneasily.

Jack ignored him. He entered the cell and knelt by the dying creature.

The other soldier slipped out of the cage and sidled up to Tsukiga on all fours.

Tsukiga stroked her blood-stained face and smiled. "Well done."

"Thank you," the soldier answered, and the Doctor thought he heard purring.

"You made them like this," Jack said, his voice tight. "You made their instincts tell them to compete with each other for your favor. They don't understand."

"We do," wheezed the creature on the floor.

Jack turned his attention back to her, his hands pressing firmly on her throat in an attempt to slow the bleeding.

"Whatever the cause," she went on slowly, "our feelings are real. We… love him."

The Doctor went to stand behind Jack, looking sadly at the dying creature's face. "What's your name, soldier?"

"Kreesta."

"Hold on, Kreesta." Jack told her. "Don't give up."

"Why… hold on?" she choked. "I am not fit… to continue."

"That's not true. You have a life. It's yours—you deserve to live it how you want to. If you can't be a soldier, you can be something else."

The Doctor noted that Jack's voice was starting to sound hysterical. Kreesta's wound was fatal. She wouldn't survive. He put his hand on Jack's shoulder.

"I do not wish to be anything else. Goodbye… Captain." Moments later, her wheezing breath stopped.

Jack panted. "No… Kreesta… Kreesta, can you hear me? Come on…"

"Jack," the Doctor said quietly. "She's gone."

Jack sat back, slowly letting his hands slide down to her shoulders. He stared at her gaping throat. "It's so wrong," he said. He looked back at Tsukiga. "Why are you doing this?"

"Would you like the whole story?" Tsukiga asked, sounding bored.

"We'll take the abridged version, thanks," the Doctor said.

Tsukiga sat in a chair and the soldier crouched beside him, putting her head in his lap. He stroked it absent-mindedly. "It's fairly simple. My Rapcen mother loved my human father, but he didn't love her. The humans thought of me as a freak and the Rapcens didn't trust me. I was unwanted."

"And taking over the galaxy with an army is going to make you wanted—how?" Jack asked.

"My soldiers love me. And they will fight for me. I will rule the entire human race as well as all of the Rapcens. No one will dare reject me."

"Like I tried to tell you," the Doctor directed at Jack, "he's a bit cuckoo."

Tsukiga smiled indulgently. "Don't worry, Doctor. I don't intend to destroy either race—only to rule them in this time when both species have begun to branch out. They've come to see crossbreeding as something acceptable in this century. So it will be a bitter irony to them when I take my revenge."

"How did you time travel?" Jack asked.

"The rift. My Rapcen blood makes me sensitive to temporal things. My human side allowed me to blend in on your planet. I found the rift in Cardiff and used it over and over until I learned how to control how far I went. And eventually, I made my way here. Lady Cassandra discussed my plan with me and immediately insisted on sponsoring me completely herself."

"That's because she wants to make sure you won't make her one of your slaves," the Doctor commented. "I've been to the time when she dies, Tsukiga. She is one of those uncompromising people who thinks of people like you as mongrels."

Tsukiga appeared unbothered. "Then she will have a lovely surprise when I take everything away from her. All her wealth and power—mine."

The soldier leaned her head back and licked Tsukiga's hand.

Jack looked very distracted by the action.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Utterly sickening. Now, look: We can't let you do this. One person can't control one entire race, let alone two."

"Are you making up rules for me, Doctor? Because I prefer to make up my own."

"You're treating intelligent creatures like pets," Jack snarled. "Sending them happily to their deaths."

"Well, yes. You've said it exactly: they're happy this way. In any case, since you're here, it seems it's time to begin." Tsukiga lifted a communicator to his lips. "General, commence assault one on the palace."

"Professor," the Doctor said quietly, "you need to stop this nonsense right now. You're using your scientific knowledge to hurt people—I can show you how to use it to help them instead."

"That was a very moving speech—could you make another one?" Tsukiga said dryly.

"Come on, Doctor; he's not going to listen." Jack pulled his gun out from his hip holster.

A split second later, the gun was flying across the room from the force of the soldier striking Jack's wrist.

Jack gasped in pain and rubbed his wrist with his opposite hand.

"Don't ever try to harm the professor again," the soldier hissed.

"I was only going to threaten him," Jack muttered.

"I think you'd better leave," Tsukiga advised. "You've outstayed your welcome. Lashia, give the man his gun. If he's as smart as I think he is, he won't try to use it."

The soldier walked on all fours to the gun, picked it up with her clawed left hand and brought it to Jack with a soft growl.

"This isn't over," the Doctor declared as he led Jack toward the door.

"Goodbye," Tsukiga answered.

"I hope we meet again under more favorable circumstances," said Jack, tucking his gun away.

Tsukiga half-smiled at him. "Perhaps we will."

* * *

_Any comments? Questions? Smart remarks?  
_


	8. Allies

_Not that you ever thought so, but here's a reminder that I don't own Doctor Who, Torchwood or the names and characters associated with it. Only the plot and writing are mine.  
_

* * *

"All right, what do we know?" the Doctor said, rubbing his hands together. They were back at the Tardis, brainstorming while the professor took over the Emperor's palace.

"We know that the two of us can't hope to stop this army by force," Jack said, hating to admit it.

"Yes, and we know that Tsukiga isn't going to listen to us."

"And we know he has to be stopped, and that something—presumably us—does stop him eventually, according to history. That history book didn't say anything about how he was stopped, did it?"

"Something about the soldiers giving up, but I can't think what would make them do that."

"Maybe ethics? Maybe they realize how Tsukiga is using them?"

The Doctor rubbed his chin. "They might give up if Tsukiga were killed, but I really don't want to try to kill him. Not unless we absolutely have to."

"So we have to work directly with the soldiers, if possible."

"There's one right outside," the Doctor noted, glancing at his surveillance screen. "Well, a civilian one."

"I think it's that first one we met," Jack said, following his gaze. "I wonder what she wants."

"Are you sure it's a she?"

"The fur doesn't hide everything, okay? I can't believe you didn't notice."

"I wasn't looking for gender," the Doctor sniffed.

Jack went to the door and opened it a crack. "Hello. May I help you?"

"I… thought you'd be killed."

"What? Why?"

The Algaruan kicked at a pebble with one paw. "No one who went to the New Morning building looking for Professor Tsukiga has come back before."

"Oh, really? What did other people want him for?"

"I'm not sure; I just heard rumors. Some said people wanted to stop him. Others said they came to help. And others said they wanted to ensure their safety. But none of them came back.

The Doctor looked out at her over Jack's shoulder. "What do you think happened to them?"

"I suppose… many of them became donors."

"DNA samples?" Jack asked.

"Yes, I think so."

Jack glanced back to see a smile forming on the Doctor's face. "What is your name?" he asked the mutant.

"Lema."

"Lema, we need to know more about who came to visit. Species, especially. As much as you can remember."

* * *

"Okay, that's twelve species we're reasonably sure of," Jack said, looking over the list they'd formed. "There are probably a lot more, but these ones were added recently. And we can be reasonably sure that Tsukiga has added bits of Rapcen and human throughout the process."

"So, let's go over qualities of these species that could be useful. Lema, you jump in whenever you think of something," the Doctor said encouragingly.

"Humans have a more dogmatic sense of ethics than most other life forms," Jack said.

"Humans are curious," said the Doctor.

"Rapcens mate for life," said Lema.

"The soldiers have a full range of emotions except fear," said the Doctor.

"Their will is biased toward Tsukiga's orders," said Jack.

"Crasids are herbivores," said the Doctor.

Jack stared at him.

"What—it could be useful!"

"Hang on," said Jack. "Lema… Rapcens mate for life. Do the soldiers retain that characteristic?"

Lema shook her head. "Those who are fit for combat are sterilized," she explained.

"And the cast-offs? Civilians?" the Doctor asked.

"I don't know. No one's made a study of them. They've been living in this world for only a few years."

"This Tsukiga has no scruples," Jack commented.

The Doctor glanced at him. "You would find forced sterility to be the worst crime in the universe."

"It is!" Jack protested. "No one has the right to take that away from someone!"

"When the professor finds an exceptional specimen among the soldiers, he simply clones it," Lema explained.

"Okay, wait a minute," the Doctor said, turning back to her, "Rapcens have instincts to compete with each other for leadership—that combat doesn't usually end in death, though. And they have the instincts to find and remain with one partner for life."

"Yes. But the soldiers are not Rapcens."

"No, but they've got it hidden in their blood somewhere. We just need to draw it out. Have you found a mate yet, Lema?"

Lema looked at the floor. "I haven't yet," she said, sounding sad.

"Good thing in my book," said Jack, grinning at her.

"Jack, shut up. You're not helping. Lema, have you got friends who would help us?"

"I… I don't know."

"Look at me, Lema." The Doctor put a hand on her furry shoulder and waited until her emerald eyes met his. "I know you've got a built-in loyalty to the professor, and you don't feel fear. But you're not a soldier, so all your other feelings should be intact. So, listen to me: If he wins, all the humans and Rapcens will be his slaves. The hybrids and full-bloods alike. They're not so different from you. You yourself have both human and Rapcen blood in you. He's dictating the very building blocks your existence is standing on and then making a mockery of it. It's wrong. Your instincts are telling you deep down that it's wrong, but your loyalty is blinding you."

"It's not completely buried, though," Jack put in, "or she wouldn't have come here."

"That's right. You wanted to see if we'd survived our encounter with the professor. It's because you have a good heart. You don't want anyone to be killed. This is your chance to stop it. Won't you help us?"

Lema looked from the Doctor to Jack and back. "I'll… try to get some of the others here to see you," she said.

"That's all I'm asking. Thank you."

Jack walked Lema to the Tardis door. "Try not to let anyone see you leaving here," he told her. "Be careful." He kissed her cheek.

Lema nodded to him and slipped out the door.

Jack turned to the surveillance screen just in time to see her tail disappearing into some bushes a few yards away.

"She's not coming with us," the Doctor said.

Jack smiled. "You don't want a sexy killer cat companion? Oh, wait—you have me."

"You ass."

A few hours later, Lema returned with five other ex-soldiers.

"This is all that would come," she said apologetically. "I'm afraid the others are too loyal to the professor."

"This is wonderful," the Doctor told her. "Inside, everyone."

The mutants slunk inside, looking around at the Tardis with suspicion as they entered.

"Okay, everyone. I'm the Doctor, and this is Captain Jack Harkness." Jack looked like he was going to say something mischievous and suggestive, so the Doctor hurried on. "This meeting is about stopping the professor from enslaving the humans and Rapcens because it is, in fact, wrong. Any questions?"

"What's your plan?" one male mutant asked.

"I'll get to that in a moment; anything else?"

"Do you intend to harm the professor?"

The Doctor shook his head. "If things go according to plan, there will be no need for that."

Jack watched their visitors looking at each other, uncertainty met with determination.

"So, anyone not interested in saving hundreds of lives and keeping two entire species from enslavement is free to go now. Anyone? Good." The Doctor smiled. "Now, what I need from you lot is… basically, a big batch of musk." He frowned. "Well, there's no polite way to say it, I s'pose, so I'll be clinical. I need hormonal samples from you. As much… juice as we can get, and as soon as possible."

"So much for being clinical," Jack grinned. "Right, so estrogen, testosterone, pheromones, the works! We can draw it out with a syringe, or…" he winked at Lema. "If I can help you produce your samples in a less painful way, just let me know."

"Jack," the Doctor said in a dangerous tone, "if you say one more thing about…"

"What's this for?" the pushy male demanded.

"It's like this: The soldiers have been bereft of sexual hormones. They've forgotten how to live as a community. They only think about their loyalty to the professor, while they should be thinking about finding life partners and raising families. At least seven of the species used to create the soldiers, and probably more, have some sort of family unit. If we can put enough pheromones in the air around them, it'll trigger their instincts in that direction."

"And probably frustrate the hell out of them, too," added Jack.

"Their familial instincts will override their loyalty to the professor and they'll stand down. They'll realize they've been denied their basic rights and they won't want to do that to the humans and Rapcens."

"So it's like a big hormonal wake-up call," said Jack.

The Doctor glared at him. "Cut it out," he said under his breath.

"I'll do it," Lema said. Her eyes were glinting with pooled tears.

"That sounded beautiful," said Jack. "Say it again."

The Doctor kicked Jack. Hard.

"Ow! All right, all right. I'll behave."

"Anyone here have medical training?" the Doctor asked.

"Aren't you a doctor?"

"Um… different sort."

"I work at the hospital," another female offered. "I'm not a doctor, but I assist them. I often help take fluid samples."

"And I was hoping we'd have to do it the old-fashioned way," Jack murmured, carefully keeping out of the Doctor's kicking range.

The Doctor ignored him. "Brilliant. You're our nurse, then. I've got a room you can use. First patient, come with us."

* * *

_Mwa ha ha. That's all I have to say.  
_


	9. Conquest

_Enjoy chapter 9. :)  
_

* * *

"Shouldn't we spray ourselves with this stuff to make sure we don't get killed?" Jack asked.

"You go right ahead," the Doctor answered distastefully. "I don't fancy having to toss out this suit."

"Will it be strong enough with the dilution?"

"If we didn't dilute it, it wouldn't last very long. But as it is, we should be able to douse scores of them."

"That'll have to do. Time to share the love."

The Doctor looked askance at Jack. "You did not just say that."

Lema and two other hybrids followed Jack and the Doctor as they walked toward the palace.

"I hear gunfire," said Jack, his military instincts kicking in.

"There are people running everywhere," noted Lema. "They're panicking."

"That panic will rule their lives for decades if we don't stop this," the Doctor said. "Lema, how many active soldiers d'you reckon there are?"

Lema licked her lips. "By now… three or four hundred, I suppose."

"That many? That's… a bit more than I anticipated."

"We can take 'em," Jack said confidently.

The Doctor took a firm hold on his misting bottle and swished the contents absent-mindedly.

"Whatever happens," said Lema, "we must be careful not to get into any unnecessary skirmishes."

"That's right," the Doctor agreed. "The soldiers are our friends, really; we just need to remind them of it."

There were just two soldiers at the palace gates; one male and one female.

"I'll handle these," Jack declared. He sprayed his shirt lightly. "Oh… that is kinda rank… and yet," he paused. "It's kind of amazing, too. Damn."

"Keep your mind on business, Jack. This is not a social visit!"

"Right. Okay." He approached the male soldier. "Hello, tiger."

"That is _so_ not funny right now," the Doctor muttered, eyeing the soldier's cat-like features.

"Who are you?" the soldier demanded.

"Captain Jack Harkness." Jack sent another puff of spray at the soldier.

"What… is that?"

"The stuff that dreams are made of."

The female soldier crept closer to them and sniffed the air. "You… you smell like…"

"Perfection," the male finished for her.

"Thanks. I find you two very hot as well. Now, suppose you let us by while you make friends?"

The soldiers eyed each other.

"Yane, why are we doing this?" the female asked. "I don't care about the army anymore."

Yane reached toward her. "Neither do I. I just want to be with you."

Jack nodded to his companions and they filed quietly past the love-struck soldiers.

"Ka-chow," Jack whooped when they were a safe distance away, "workin' like a charm!"

"So far, so good," the Doctor agreed cautiously. "Let's hope the others are as susceptible to this stuff."

Suddenly, another soldier came into the passage ahead of them. It bared its teeth and came toward the group, only to stop just as suddenly and pull Jack into a suffocating kiss.

"Guess we can consider that a positive sign," the Doctor muttered.

Jack gasped. "I guess so. Dilution didn't seem to hurt it."

"What's going on?" the soldier panted. "You're not even my kind…"

"You're just starved for affection," Jack said, smiling at her. "Happens to the best of us. Now, why don't you come with us and help us stop this silly squabbling?"

The Doctor had begun walking again, and the soldier looked around at the others a moment. "All right," she said at last.

Next, they encountered a group of soldiers keeping watch over some of the emperor's guards. There had obviously been some fighting; several of the guards were wounded.

As the newcomers began spraying their formula at them, the soldiers turned and attacked. Only a few made contact, one making a brief skirmish with a civilian mutant and another pinning the Doctor to the ground.

"You don't really want to do this," the Doctor said, his voice tight from lack of air. "We're not your enemies."

The soldier sniffed the air, and then leaned down to lick the Doctor's face.

"That's very nice, thanks," the Doctor said, squeezing his eyes shut, "but you're sort of crushing me. Could you get off, please?"

"Seriously, get off him," Jack ordered. "If I can't pin him down, it's not fair to taunt me like that..."

The Doctor gave him a scathing look. "No one's forcing you to watch."

"I don't know—all these pheromones in the air are starting to really get to me."

"For some reason, I knew I didn't want to bring you along, and now I think I know why."

"I can't help it," Jack protested.

"What are we fighting over anyway?" a soldier asked. "We have nothing against these people."

"Precisely," the Doctor said, getting up and rubbing his left shoulder. "That's just what we're trying to tell you. And you can pass the word along too, now that we've sprayed you. Spread out and make contact with the entire army."

"You okay?" Jack asked, seeing that the Doctor seemed to be in pain.

"I think so. I know it's been thirty years for you, but for me it's been only a day since that weevil attacked me."

"Oh yeah. I forgot all about that. I'll give you medical attention when this is over."

"Are you threatening me?" the Doctor asked dryly.

* * *

"That's the whole army!" Lema cried happily. "No one was killed, and no one wants to fight anymore."

"The power of love," Jack sighed, leaning drunkenly on two soldiers who were more than happy to support him.

A boy about ten or twelve years old approached the Doctor. He made a small bow, which the Doctor returned. "Sir, I am told I owe my freedom to you."

"Oh, no trouble," the Doctor said graciously.

"I am Emperor Vilgan. You will always be welcome on my planet."

"Thank you, Your Excellency."

"Now, I must deal with that Professor Tsukiga. He will be executed for his treason."

Suddenly, a dozen soldiers surrounded the emperor.

"You will not harm the professor," one said.

"I think you'd best leave the professor to me," the Doctor said. "I'll make certain he won't try anything like this again."

A large soldier with a tattoo on his cheek and an earpiece in place announced, "I am in contact with the professor, and he wishes to speak to the Doctor."

The Doctor took the earpiece and put it in his ear while soldiers and guards of various species gathered to listen.

"This is the Doctor."

"I hear you overwhelmed my army," the professor said.

"That's right. It's all over."

"Then there's no point in my staying around."

"Professor, don't do anything hasty," the Doctor said quickly. "You've got a brilliant mind, and I can help you put it to good use." He saw Lema run from the stateroom toward the front hall and nodded to Jack to follow her.

"Good use," Tsukiga scoffed. "You mean _your_ use. I won't be anyone's puppet."

"That's not what I said. You'll still be your own man…"

"I've made up my mind, Doctor. My plan failed. I don't wish to try anything new. This universe is a sad joke, and I don't wish to live in it with its hypocrites and emperors. If the humans and Rapcens survive to enjoy long lives of wealth and happiness, I would be sickened to see it."

"Don't, then. Come away with me. Visit other worlds, other times. We're both alone. Isn't that what you hated most of all—being cast off by both your species? If you come with me, you can help me change history and make this sad joke of a universe a better place."

"I'm beyond pretty speeches, Doctor. And flattered as I am, I don't wish to run off with you."

The Doctor began walking briskly toward the front entrance of the palace, knowing that by the time he reached the research laboratories, it would be too late. "Oh, come on—think of Jack. He's dying to see you in white tie."

"He'll be happier with you."

"Professor, don't do this."

"Goodbye, Doctor."

"Henrie, don't!" The Doctor heard other voices on Tsukiga's end, but he couldn't hear what they were saying. "Professor!" He listened anxiously as he passed into the entrance hall. "Professor… answer me." He walked out into the glowing sunset and looked toward the New Morning building. He thought he could hear someone crying.

A few moments later, he heard Jack's voice. "Doctor, Tsukiga is dead. He gave himself a lethal injection. There was nothing we could do."

* * *

_D: Oh no! But the story's not over yet. Far from it.  
_


	10. Kiss

_On with the show. This chapter gets a little slashy, so... there's your warning.  
_

* * *

The Doctor closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "All right. I'll be right there."

He walked slowly, thinking over his encounters with the professor. It was all such a waste. It seemed the best and the brilliant always died young. Then he remembered the crying he had heard through the communicator, and he quickened his pace.

When he reached them, Tsukiga was lying on the floor, Lema was lying beside him with her head on his chest, and Jack was kneeling beside them.

"Lema," Jack said softly, putting a hand on her arm.

She didn't seem to hear him.

The Doctor went to crouch by the professor's head. "This is why you didn't choose a mate, isn't it, Lema?" he asked.

Slowly, she lifted her head, and the Doctor saw agony in her eyes. "I love him," she said.

"I know. I'm sorry. I wanted to save him."

"I want to die, too."

"Don't say that," Jack told her. "Somewhere outside there's another hybrid like you, just dying to be yours for the rest of his life. I know it seems impossible, but you can be happy again."

"There's one more thing we need to do before we leave," the Doctor said. "We need to find the hybrids still here in this facility and release them."

Lema sat up and leaned back against Jack. "I want to help," she said.

Jack put his arms around her and kissed her cheek. "That's the spirit."

"Jack?" the Doctor said suspiciously, "are you quite in control of yourself?"

"Yes! I think… Damn hormones."

Lema smiled slightly. She tipped her head back and licked Jack's chin.

Jack groaned. "Okay, I think we should go release those soldiers _now._"

"Couldn't agree more," said the Doctor. "When we're done, we'll give the professor a proper burial."

* * *

A small group of soldiers walked the Doctor and Jack back to the Tardis after Tsukiga was cryogenically frozen for future study, as his will requested.

"Will you come back?" Lema asked.

"Might look in on you sometime," the Doctor said. "See how you're getting on."

"Thank you." She hugged him and planted a warm kiss by his ear. "For everything."

Jack looked a bit hot under the collar. "My turn?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"For heaven's sake, isn't it wearing off yet?" the Doctor muttered.

Lema kissed Jack squarely on the mouth. "You were wonderful," she told him.

"As were you. We couldn't have done it without you."

A male soldier stepped up and took Lema by the arm. "May I escort you home?" he asked.

"That's a good idea," Jack said, winking at Lema.

"Take this with you," the soldier general said, handing a capsule to the Doctor. "The professor gave it to me in case I was badly injured or needed to revive my soldiers. I'm sure I won't need it now."

The Doctor tucked the capsule away without looking at it. "Thank you very much. I'll put it to good use."

"Goodbye," the soldiers chorused. "Thank you both—come back soon!"

The two friends waved and retreated into the Tardis.

"Now," Jack said in a business-like tone as he locked the Tardis door, "I'm ready for a little experiment of my own." He pulled a spray bottle out of his coat.

"What the hell did you keep that for?" the Doctor asked. Then he paled. "Oh, no. Jack, you wouldn't…"

Jack flashed his eyebrows. "Wouldn't I?"

"No…. It's not fair. It's cheating. It's beyond cheating. Jack… don't. Please!"

Jack sprayed himself generously. "Oops. Too late."

The Doctor backed away. "Just you keep away from me. Go down to the bathroom and shower it off right now."

"I will if you join me," Jack said with a lopsided smile. "Wow, this stuff is affecting me already…"

"I'm going to kill you."

"Oh, kill me slowly, please," Jack said, walking slowly toward the Doctor as if uncertain of his footing.

"If you do this, I will hate you. And you'll feel guilty forever. So just don't."

"You're going to hate me anyway. And I already feel guilty. So I think I should just go ahead."

"What are you talking about?" The Doctor had his back to the wall, and Jack was only a few feet away now.

"Remember that thing I said I'd tell you about before you left again? That's what I'm talking about."

"Oh."

Two feet away.

Jack reached out…

The intoxicating scent was all around the Doctor now. "This is completely unfair."

"Sorry." Jack put his arms around the Doctor.

"I'm not attracted to you, you know."

"Because I'm male?"

"Partly."

"Because I'm human?"

"Partly."

"Well, what's the main reason?" Jack whispered into his ear.

"Because," the Doctor panted, "you… are not… a timelord."

"Aw, that's not my fault." Jack put a hand on the back of the Doctor's neck. "I'll get someone to donate a heart to me…"

"Don't think there's another species with compatible organs… that has one to spare," the Doctor said, wrapping his arms around Jack against his own will.

"Damn know-it-all," Jack muttered. He kissed the Doctor's neck.

"Jack. Please."

With a great effort, Jack pulled himself back. "One kiss? Please? I'll stop, I promise."

"You really think you can?"

Jack grimaced. "Yeah… I think I can. If I can't, you can kill me. Five times."

"That's a splendid consolation," the Doctor said sarcastically. He sighed. "Let's get it over, then."

Neither of them knew how long the kiss lasted. The Doctor just knew when it ended: when he felt Jack's practiced hands trying to pull his suit jacket off and he pried himself free.

They both slid down to the floor, panting.

"I hate you," the Doctor muttered.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"You're flushing the rest of that stuff."

"Okay," Jack agreed.

"Don't you ever take advantage of me like that again."

"I won't."

"Now, go take that shower."

Jack sighed and pulled himself to his feet. "Okay. I guess you're going to take me home now?"

"That's the plan. No discussion until you're clean."

* * *

Sometime later, when they had both showered and donned new clothes, the Doctor said, "So, what's this thing you've got to tell me?"

Jack looked very reluctant to talk. "It's… what happened the last time I saw you. Your last visit with me before this."

"Far in my future, recent in your past," the Doctor concluded.

"Right. At the end of it… we had an argument. A serious one. And I said something I shouldn't have."

The Doctor waited until Jack forced himself to go on.

"It was something very harsh, and… it was stupid, really. I wanted to take it back the moment you left. All this time, I've been wondering if I'll ever see you again. Every time the rift spikes, I'll wonder if you'll show up."

"So, you're going to apologize to me before the argument happens?"

"I know I can't expect you to forgive me when you don't even know how things played out. But after it happens, if you think you can, I want you to come see me again, the day after you take me home this time. Even if it's for the last time—I just need to know that we're…" he shrugged. "…still friends."

The Doctor considered. "I'll certainly keep this in mind. And if I can forgive you… I'll come back, like you said."

"Thank you. I really do feel terrible about it…"

"Let's not talk about it more right now. It's time for you to get back to Torchwood."

Jack nodded. "Okay. Thank you."

The Doctor set the coordinates and they were off.

"There's one more favor I need to ask you," Jack said loudly, to be heard over the Tardis's time travel echoes.

"What's that?"

"Dance with me."

"What?"

The Tardis came to rest in Cardiff. Jack and the Doctor steadied themselves and straightened their coats.

"So… how about it?"

The Doctor shook his head. "You don't swing and I don't ballroom."

"Martha said you ballroom."

"That's when I was human-it was part of the background the Tardis dreamt up for me. Gone now."

"We can always slow-dance. Anyone can do that. Please? This could be the last time I see you."

The Doctor frowned. "Tell you what. I'll put on that song you played for Rose… and you can try to show me some ballroom. Then I'll show you a little swing."

Jack answered the Doctor's serious expression with a grin. "Now you're talking."

* * *

_Stay tuned for the dance lesson. :)  
_


	11. Dance

_Put on your Glenn Miller and enjoy. MAJOR Torchwood spoilers in this one.  
_

* * *

As the Doctor reluctantly took up the following position, Jack said, "Let's try a nice slow waltz… You step backward first. No, other foot. There you go."

When the Doctor was starting to get the footwork down, he prepared to start the music. "What's it called again?"

"Moonlight Serenade. Does it remind you of Rose? I think of her every time I hear it," said Jack.

The Doctor nodded. "Me, too."

"Miss her?"

"Often, yeah. She was fantastic."

"I miss her, too."

"Blast, I lost the rhythm," the Doctor complained as his foot ran into Jack's.

"My fault," said Jack. "I was distracting you. Just feel the way I'm directing you and it'll be easier. You can even close your eyes."

"I'd probably fall over if I tried that."

"No, you wouldn't. Try it. I won't let you fall."

The Doctor did as he was told, but only after shooting a suspicious look at Jack. To his surprise, he found that his movements felt easier and more natural when he wasn't keeping an eye on his feet.

"There, you see," Jack encouraged him. "You're doing fine."

"Amazing," the Doctor murmured. A slight smile crept over his lips.

The song ended, and the Doctor felt himself being lowered toward the floor. He opened his eyes to see Jack's face just inches from his. He blinked. "Thanks."

Jack grinned. "My pleasure. Your turn to teach."

"Right. Let's lose the coats." They tossed their long coats aside and the Doctor continued. "So, I'm guessing you've already got some experience as a follow?"

"You guess right."

"That's good. So, in swing you don't stay in closed position nearly as much as in ballroom…"

Within half an hour the Doctor was guiding Jack around the Tardis to a popular fifties tune.

"Hang on, hang on… which way you going? Follow your hand like I told you."

"Sorry," Jack said, wincing under the Doctor's criticism. "I think my stride's a bit longer than yours."

"What's that got to do with missing your cue? Come on, try it again."

They danced until the song began to fade away. The Doctor spun Jack twice around and dipped him.

"That was very good. I didn't mention double spins, but you did just what you were supposed to."

Jack smiled. "That was a great dance. I'll have to see if I can find a swing dance hangout in Cardiff."

"Wouldn't be surprised."

"Who'd have thought you could dip me? Finish it up with a slow dance?"

"Well…"

"No tricks, I promise."

"You did try to molest me earlier," the Doctor pointed out.

"Not really. Anyway, you enjoyed it."

"That's not at all the point."

Jack sighed. "Is that a no?"

"Well… no. I'll dance one more with you."

"_As Time Goes By_?"

"Oh, sure, why not go completely sentimental?"

"Rose and I have a song; I want one for us, too. We'll always have Cardiff."

"You are a nutter," the Doctor declared. He put the song on anyway. "Oh, and I want to lead, if that's all right."

Jack seemed to know he wasn't in a position to argue. "Sure."

The Doctor kept Jack's right hand in his left and carried it low. Jack's left hand rested on the Doctor's shoulder—no funny business, as promised. The Doctor planted his right hand under Jack's shoulder blade. They moved slowly, talking a little about the song at first, but then falling silent.

The Doctor didn't like the way Jack was staring at him, drinking him in as if this really would be the last time they saw each other. He looked down at Jack's collarbone for a while, but when he looked up again, Jack's eyes were still fixed on him.

The song was only a few bars from the end. The Doctor subtly moved a little closer. "Jack?"

Jack looked a little afraid, then, as if he thought everything would be ruined if the Doctor said anything else. His left arm went over the Doctor's shoulder and he pulled him tightly against himself.

The Doctor forced himself to remain calm. He wouldn't push Jack away this time. He let go of Jack's right hand and wrapped his arms around the captain. He stood still and waited.

After what seemed like a very long time, Jack whispered, "I'm sorry." He sighed. "I should let you go now… you have to go see me in the past."

"Yes." The Doctor released Jack slowly. "Keep your chin up. I'll keep in mind what you told me."

Jack nodded. "Thank you. Goodbye, Doctor."

"Goodbye."

Jack paused by the Tardis door. "Oh, and one more thing you asked me to tell you: You don't plan to act on the second half of your plan for a long time. Decades. Maybe centuries."

* * *

The Doctor didn't go straight back to see Jack. First, he landed on the Earth's moon during the reign of Julius Caesar. People weren't likely to notice tiny blue boxes on the moon's surface at that time.

Once he'd parked, he retrieved from his coat pocket the little capsule the soldier general had given him. A simple scan told him what was inside.

"Nanogenes. Nanogenes, really? Well, that's useful." He pulled open his shirt and popped open the capsule beside his wounded shoulder. Soon the bite marks were gone completely. He smiled, remembering when Rose had first encountered them. She'd been amazed, of course, at their healing ability, and their ability to…

"Oh, god, nanogenes!" Snatches of the past were rushing through his mind.

"…_what's life? A trick of nature. Nothing to a nanogene…"_

"…_asked a favor of me. You don't know what I'm talking about though, right?"_

"_What plan?"_

"_Decades. Maybe centuries."_

"_You just have to trust me. Trust yourself."_

"Of course," the Doctor breathed. "It all makes sense now. Of course! He's there. He was there _all along!"_

Quickly, he prepared to return to Cardiff.

The bay area seemed deserted. The Doctor went to the place he remembered the camouflage piece of sidewalk being, stood on it and put his finger on his nose.

The people walking by didn't notice him.

"So far, so good," the Doctor muttered. He looked down at the sidewalk.

"Hey. Looking for a lost coin?" a Welsh voice asked.

The Doctor looked up to see Gwen Cooper walking toward him. "You the welcoming committee?"

"Yes. Jack said you'd be showing up soon, but you're a bit early."

"Is the invisible lift still here?"

"Yes. I don't think you ought to come down yet, though. Jack will want to talk to you first."

"I see. Where is he?"

"He's out, but he should be back soon."

"I'll wait out here for him, then. Has much changed in two years?"

"It certainly has."

* * *

"You're here!"

The Doctor got up from where he'd been leaning against the obelisk and welcomed Jack with an embrace. "How've you been?"

Jack shrugged. "Same as ever. Died a few times, but you know me."

"I saw Gwen a little while ago—any new team members?"

Jack looked away. "Not yet. Changes, though," he said. "Owen and Toshiko…" He paused. "Owen was shot and killed."

"Oh, no," the Doctor said, his mind suddenly dizzy. _What's going on? He told me Owen married Toshiko and they were living in Japan…_

"Then we brought him back to life… sort of. A few months later, we lost him for good. And we lost Tosh the same day."

"Jack… I don't know what to say. I'm very sorry."

They sat on the sidewalk. The Doctor put an arm around his friend, avoiding his gaze.

"Didn't I tell you any of this thirty years from now?" Jack asked. When the Doctor hesitated, he said, "I probably wanted to tell you now and only go through it once. Probably lied to you then."

The Doctor nodded slowly. It made sense. What were the chances that all four team members would live to see happy retirement? "Yeah, that must be it. Ianto and Gwen?"

"Gwen and Rhys are married now." Jack smiled before adding, "Ianto's doing fine."

Slowly, the whole story came out—John, Gray, getting buried alive, getting found by Torchwood and cryogenically frozen for another century, coming back to put his brother in the freezer, losing Owen again. Losing Tosh.

The Doctor held Jack when he broke down, rubbed his back, told him it was all right—even though he knew the immortal human was dying inside.

"You need some tea," he said at last. "Come on back to the Tardis; I've got plenty."

Jack pulled himself together. "Okay."

They stood and walked away hand in hand, not caring about the people staring at them.

"It's going to be impossible to replace them," Jack said over his tea. "Sure, we can find a good doctor and a computer geek, but they also need to have the guts and stamina and interest in alien technology. I was so damn lucky to find Tosh. And Owen. They were…" He couldn't finish.

"You'll find the people you need," the Doctor told him.

Jack sighed. "I hope so. You know… I think maybe I'm the one that needs to be replaced next."

"No, Jack. You hold the operation together. You're the one they can always rely on, and they know it."

"I wish I could be so sure. Doctor, do you think you could stay here a while and give us a hand? Your expertise would be invaluable."

"I'll think about it. I do plan to stay for a couple of days, anyway."

"That's good. I think it'll really boost morale if you hang out at the hub a lot."

"I can do that," the Doctor agreed.

* * *

"So, he's the expert," Ianto commented to Gwen when the Doctor came to Jack's office the next morning. "Think he'll set the world to rights before he goes?"

"That'd be nice, wouldn't it?" Gwen sipped her coffee. "Ianto… does he bother you? He seems to put you on edge."

"No, not really. Well…" Ianto frowned. "In a way. When he's around, it's like the Doctor is a planet and Jack's a satellite going round it."

Gwen considered that. "I suppose I can see what you mean."

"I just wish Jack's life could revolve around me like that."

"Mm."

* * *

_More to come. Comments welcome.  
_


	12. Plan

_Chapter 12 is here. Is anyone actually reading this crap? Spoiler alert for this chapter as well! And I realize that future episodes of Doctor Who and Torchwood may contradict what I'm writing now, but I'm not waiting around to see what happens. :p  
_

* * *

"Can you believe that all happened in just three days?" Jack said to the others.

"Three and a half," the Doctor corrected. "But, yeah. It was intense."

"And in the end, it went home happy," Gwen added. "That's got to be a first."

"It would have taken us twice as long to sort it all out without the Doctor," Ianto said. "Someone might have been badly hurt."

The Doctor smiled. "Glad to help. You were all excellent. How about if we have pizza on Jack?"

"Generous with my money, aren't you?" Jack asked. Then he smirked mischievously. "Or do you mean I'm the meal, and you'll have pizza _on me?"_

Gwen rolled her eyes. "I swear, that man…"

* * *

The pizza was dwindling and everyone looked a little sleepy. Gwen pulled herself to her feet with a great effort and declared that she was going home.

Jack looked down at Ianto, whose head was resting against his shoulder. "You should go, too. It's late."

Ianto tilted his head back and blinked tiredly at him.

Jack leaned down to kiss him softly. "I'll see you in the morning."

Seeming a bit embarrassed at being kissed in front of the Doctor, Ianto got to his feet and walked Gwen to the back exit. "Good night," they called.

The Doctor waved to them.

"Good night," Jack answered.

They watched until the door rolled shut again.

"I'd best be going, too," the Doctor said.

"You mean for the night, or…"

"I think for two years."

Jack tried to think of an argument, but he knew there wasn't one. "I wish you'd stay," he said at last.

"You'll do all right. Maybe you ought to go catch up with Ianto."

"No; he's tired. He needs a good sleep tonight."

"That's very considerate."

"I try." Jack sighed. "It'll be hard without you. But it's always hard. We'll manage somehow."

The Doctor nodded. "You lead them well, Jack. They follow your orders without question, but you put their interests first."

"Thanks. Now will you date me?"

"I'm just saying you've grown up a lot since I met you."

"The question stands," Jack said stubbornly.

"Certainly not. You've got a boyfriend."

"I can juggle two."

The Doctor got up and stretched. "Overall, I think this was a good visit. Might go straight to the next one."

"Lucky you—I've got to wait here. Why don't you just stay through?"

"I'm sorry Jack; I can't. I'm not meant to settle, you know."

"I said date, not marry." Jack stood. "I'll walk you to the Tardis."

* * *

Two years later, the bay area looked different. It was all there, but it looked new, as if the whole courtyard and statue had been rebuilt. The camouflage sidewalk seemed to have moved one square down. The Doctor walked around the obelisk and scratched his head. _Where is Torchwood?_

"Excuse me, are you the Doctor?"

The Doctor looked up. It was a young black woman with short hair.

"Who's asking?"

"I'm Lois. I'm a friend of Jack's. Gwen said you might turn up soon, so I've been checking every now and again."

"Where's Jack?"

"America."

"What? Why? What happened here?"

Lois shook her head. "There's too much to explain." She rifled through her purse. "I've got an address here for you. Hang on. Here it is."

The Doctor took the paper and studied it. "Los Angeles? Is he trying to date a bunch of movie stars?"

Lois laughed. "I don't think that's all he's up to. That's all I know, really."

"Okay. Thanks very much." He turned away.

"Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"Gwen said you were… sort of associated with Torchwood. That you were someone like Captain Harkness. Someone fighting to protect us."

He looked back at her. "I do my best."

She hesitated a moment. "Well… what I want to know is: Where were you? When the Four Five Six was here—why didn't you help?"

The Doctor considered the many answers he could give. Finally, he said, "I'm sorry—even I don't know that yet."

* * *

The Tardis blended quite inconspicuously on Sunset Boulevard—the locals were used to random and nostalgic sights. The Doctor felt a little warm in his overcoat, but he didn't take it off. He stood watching the people pass, wondering if any of them realized how fragile their little lives were.

About ten minutes went by before Jack turned up. Something in Jack's face and his brisk walk made the Doctor uneasy. He took a step back as the captain approached him.

Jack stood in front of the Doctor and stared at him.

"Something tells me you'd like to hit me," the Doctor said quietly, taking a tiny step backward and hoping that his statement was not a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Jack closed the small distance between them and held the Doctor in a vice-like grip. "Yes, I would," he said. He pressed his face against the Doctor's neck.

Uncertainly, the Doctor put his arms around Jack. "A lot happened," he surmised. "Things went very wrong. Can you tell me?"

He waited. A tremor seemed to work through Jack's entire frame and he let out a shaky sigh.

"I'll tell you inside."

Jack released him and the Doctor opened the Tardis door for him. A few passersby were glancing their way in curiosity, but they were the least of the Doctor's worries.

The Doctor led Jack through the Tardis, deep into one of the small back rooms he rarely used. There they sat on a strange-looking but comfortable sofa.

Jack leaned forward, elbows on knees. "Gwen and Rhys have a kid now," he said. "A year old."

The Doctor couldn't tell how he was supposed to take this news. "That's… good, isn't it?"

"Sure. Hell, it's great."

Not wanting to ask, but knowing one of them had to bring it up, he said, "And Ianto?"

"Dead."

He had expected it somehow, but the Doctor was still moved with deep sympathy. "The Four Five Six?" he asked. "Lois mentioned it when I saw her, but I don't know what happened."

Jack nodded. "Earth's first globally known alien contact."

It was one of the most horrible stories the Doctor had ever heard, but he made himself listen for several minutes. When Jack seemed unable to go on, he took his hand to reassure him.

"I let them… no, _I_ killed my grandson. While my daughter screamed at me to save him."

"You had no choice," the Doctor said quietly.

Jack shook his head. "You'd have found a better way. You'd know a different way to transmit the frequency. Or you'd have been able to reason with the Four Five Six. You wouldn't have let Steven die."

The Doctor brushed a tear from Jack's face and put one arm around him. "I don't know what I could have done. You were in a horrible position with no time to plan. Steven was a good kid—if you'd been able to explain it to him, he'd have chosen to save all those other kids, wouldn't he?"

Jack rested his head on the Doctor's shoulder. "Maybe. But he would have been scared. And no matter what, his mother would never forgive me. He was all she had."

"He wasn't scared, though," the Doctor reminded him. "You said that when the kids were transmitting, they had no awareness. He trusted you, and he died knowing that you would save the children."

"Yes; he trusted me. Like a lamb trusts the butcher."

Someone else might have told Jack to stop being so grim or to stop feeling sorry for himself. But no one was there to tell the Doctor those things when he was angry with himself, so he felt he had no right to say them to Jack. He leaned his head on top of Jack's.

"You haven't suggested going back."

After a moment, Jack answered, "I've thought about it. A lot of times. But no matter how I play it out in my mind, someone dies. That or I end up crossing my timeline. I never left Ianto alone after we headed for White Hall together. And if Steven didn't die… where would I get another kid on such short notice? I can't even think about changing that part. And anyway, once you start bringing back people who are supposed to be dead, you endanger the structure of time itself. Isn't that right?"

"Yes. That's right." The Doctor sighed. He couldn't help thinking about the plan he was so desperate to put into action. It wasn't fair. And it might endanger the structure of time. He wondered if it was what he and Jack would argue over.

"There is one thing, though."

The Doctor held his breath, waiting.

"The explosion destroyed the Torchwood hub very shortly after you left me last time..."

"Was my hand destroyed?"

Jack paused. "No... I gave it back to you. Oh, that's right, you haven't done that yet. Oh, wow."

"Done what?"

"Never mind. Anyway, in the cryogenic freeze lockers there were a lot of bodies. We recovered enough parts to identify most of them. But not all." Jack paused. "Gray wasn't there."

"Really? What do you think happened to him?"

"I think you went back and pulled him out before the explosion."

"What? No, I didn't…. Oh. You mean…. You mean you _want_ me to go back and pull him out."

"It wouldn't change anything that's happened up until now. I can tell you a day and time when no one was there and you can get him. If you don't leave a trace, there will be no reason for us to get suspicious and look at the CCTV footage. I can have a place ready and waiting at the headquarters here."

The Doctor's mind was racing. He couldn't ask Jack to help him with his plan if he refused to help Jack now. "All right, listen. If I do this, and it doesn't work out, I'll come back here within a couple of days to discuss our options. If it does work, I'll bring Gray back here in two years time. And if everything goes smoothly, I'll have a favor to ask of you then."

"Okay. Do this for me and you'll have a blank check. Whatever you want." Jack put his arm around the Doctor's waist and squeezed him. "Thank you." He took a note pad from his coat pocket and quickly made some notes on it. "This is a day when we were all out—no one got back to the hub until around six that night, so if you get there around two-thirty and leave by five-thirty, no one will see you. But I'm sure it won't take you three hours."

The Doctor nodded. "I'll need pass codes for the doors and Gray's cooler."

"Right." Jack jotted down the codes. "And there's one more thing you'll need. A large fresh fish or steak."

"What for?"

"The pterodactyl. He can be aggressive toward strangers, so you should give him a snack."

* * *

_Confused yet? I know I am, but we're just getting started! xD  
_


	13. Request

_Spoiler-ish elements. Beware.  
_

* * *

_This is bloody madness,_ the Doctor thought as he carried a tenderloin through Torchwood's lower entrance. _One of the most ridiculous things I've done…_

He worked his way in until he got to the center of the hub where he was greeted by the pterodactyl's loud squawk.

"Hullo, beauty!" the Doctor said in what he hoped was an amiable voice. "Look what I've got for you." He held up the meat. "There's a good boy…"

The pterodactyl swooped down and snatched the meat from the cringing Doctor's hand.

"That's all, I'm afraid, but I won't be here long."

He made his way to the cryogenics lab and soon found Gray's locker. He punched in the access code with a gloved hand and licked his lips nervously as the drawer slid out.

"Okay. Here we go." He dug his arms under the shrouded form and heaved it out of the locker.

Gray was lighter than he'd expected. He had subconsciously thought that Jack's brother would share his muscular, broad-shouldered build.

"Sorry about this, mate. I know it's awkward, but it won't last long. Haven't got much time." He closed the drawer and entered the code to lock it again. Then he unzipped the top of the bag and fastened a pendant around Gray's cold neck.

He barely took time to note the resemblance to Jack. He could contemplate it later. He re-zipped the bag and then quickly and quietly went back up through the lab to the lower entrance, locking the doors behind him.

Once inside the Tardis, he took out the console Jack had given him and engaged the proper sequence as he'd been instructed.

"And… activate." The Doctor looked up to see the white freezer bag on the floor of the Tardis. "Okay, good. The worst is over." He set the Tardis in motion and they were off to California again.

* * *

This time, Jack was waiting for him.

"You're twenty minutes late."

The Doctor smiled and opened the Tardis door wide. "Come in."

Jack accepted the invitation and immediately went to check Gray's vitals. "Okay, everything's fine," he said, mostly to himself. He stood. "Thanks. Help me get him into the base? I made sure no one would be in tonight."

"All right. If you're sure, I'll take the Tardis right inside."

"That will be fine. Ordinarily it would set off a lot of alarms, but I anticipated it."

"Put a lot of thought into this, didn't you?"

"It's all I've thought about for the last two years. It was nice having something I could actually look forward to."

The Doctor fell silent, tending to the Tardis controls.

Jack sat on the floor beside his brother, resisting the urge to open the bag and look at Gray's face. "Did you think he looked like me?"

"A bit, yes. It would be interesting to see the two of you together when he's not frozen. Do your hair the same and put you in similar clothes."

Jack gave a small laugh. "I'll play dress-up with you anytime, Doctor. You've got that blank check, remember?" He thought he saw a momentary smile on the Doctor's face. "What is the favor you wanted, anyway?"

The Doctor waited until the Tardis settled again before answering. "I'll fill you in soon. Not now, though. In fact… not this visit."

"You're going to make me wait another two years to find out what your plan is?"

"I need to be sure I want to do it. You've had two years, but to me it's been less than a day since I last saw you."

"How long have you been thinking about this plan?"

"Off and on for… I don't know. More than a year. It just didn't seem feasible until more recently."

Jack hoisted Gray's shoulders and the Doctor took up his feet.

"Right through here," Jack directed.

The Doctor looked around as they passed through parts of the headquarters, probably noting the similarities to and differences from the Cardiff base. "You've done a lot in the last few years."

"It's not the hub, but it's starting to feel like home."

They put Gray into cryogenic freeze and Jack sealed the locker.

"We have only ten operational lockers so far, but we've needed only four since I got here," Jack said. "We'll get more up and running before long."

"Is there a lot of extraterrestrial activity in Los Angeles?" the Doctor asked as they headed back toward the Tardis.

"You'd be surprised. Well, maybe _you_ wouldn't." Jack smiled. "Want some coffee or something?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Not just now, thank you."

"Are you about to leave me again?" Jack knew his question might be seen as childish, but in his opinion it was better to know what was coming.

"I… hadn't decided to leave. Not consciously." The Doctor looked uneasy. "This is your operation, Jack. I feel a bit like I'm intruding."

"Please. Intrude."

A smile touched the Doctor's eyes and Jack felt the heartstring responsible for unrequited affection throbbing slightly.

"Look, you don't have to get involved with our objectives," Jack went on. "Just stick around for a few days. Meet the team. Visit. Tell stories about our exploits in the good old days so they'll know I'm not making it up."

"So, I'm the old veteran uncle on holiday from the retirement home?" the Doctor asked as the smile tugged the corners of his mouth up a hair.

"It would be a nice change of pace."

The Doctor leaned on the Tardis. "I can stay for a bit," he said. "But I don't think it will make it easier for you to let me go again."

"I don't care," Jack replied, without pausing to consider whether it was true.

"It _was_ good to see you smile again."

Jack swallowed hard against the lump he felt forming in his throat. "You, too," he said. _We need each other. It's clear—why don't you see it?_

"Come find me tomorrow," the Doctor said, opening the Tardis door. "I'll be here."

"Okay. Good night."

* * *

At the end of three days, the Doctor found himself telling Jack goodbye once again.

"You have a good team here. Make the most of them."

"I'll try," Jack answered. "Hey, before you go… I know you don't owe me anything, but I have another favor to ask you. It's just a request."

The Doctor hoped the request was one he could honor without qualms. "Let's hear it."

"I want you to look in on my daughter. You don't necessarily have to make contact with her. Just… make sure she's okay."

"When?"

"Anytime within a couple of years from now. As long as it's quite a while after the Four Five Six."

The Doctor considered. First Jack's brother; now his daughter. What would he want next?

"What if…. What if I find that she's not all right? Do you really want to know that?"

"Yes. If she's happy, I'll be at peace. If she's dead, I'll at least be able to refocus my attention. If she's in trouble… I don't know, but it's better than not knowing. She's my child."

The Doctor knew that Jack wouldn't change his mind. He also knew he would have said the same thing. And whatever he decided, he wouldn't ignore this request. "I can't give you an answer now," he said. "But I promise I will the next time I see you."

"All right. I'll find plenty to do to distract myself."

"Learning patience, are we?" the Doctor asked with a slight smile.

Jack shrugged. "I guess you could call it that. I'll take it." He held out an arm.

The Doctor stepped into the embrace. He hugged Jack firmly, knowing that things might change a lot before he returned. If he learned that Alice was all right, he would bring the good news back. But if she was dead or missing or doing badly, he would tell Jack that he had decided not to honor the request. He would lie to spare his friend.

* * *

_Now remember kids, lying is wrong. Usually.  
_


	14. Nanogenes

_Here's hoping this stimulates your adrenaline or makes you teary... but maybe it'll just make you laugh. xp Torchwood spoilers.  
_

* * *

The Doctor kept his distance at first. He found that Alice Carter was still alive a year after her son's death. She had moved in with her mother's younger sister near Surrey. The glimpses he got of her gave him the impression that she was unhappy—miserable, even. She smiled rarely and didn't seem to have many friends.

Then the Doctor went back before the Four Five Six to watch Alice interacting with her son. Steven was active, bright, playful. He didn't look much like Jack, but the Doctor could see the resemblance in attitude.

"Look how high I can kick this ball," Steven instructed his mother.

The Doctor smiled when he saw a ball rise above the Carter home's fence.

"Ah, you'll play football for England, you will," Alice said fondly. "Just mind you don't break any windows."

"I won't."

A moment later, the ball sailed over the fence and rolled across the street toward the Doctor. Reflexively, he bent to pick it up.

"I'll get it, Steven; I don't want you playing in the road—" Alice broke off when she saw the Doctor. "Hello… that's my boy's ball."

After silently berating himself for not being more careful, the Doctor answered. "Yes… here you are." He took a deep breath and made up his mind. "You're Mrs. Carter, aren't you?"

"That's right. And you are?"

"I'm a neighbor of yours," he invented. "I'm the Doctor who lives round the corner… and I know your dad a bit."

Alice started. "My…"

"Jack Harkness."

She was watching him with wide eyes, obviously wondering how much he knew.

The Doctor went on, "He knows you don't want him coming round too often, so he asked if I could look in on you and see how you were getting on."

"Mum?" Steven called. He looked out through the gate at them.

"Just a minute, love," she answered, bowling the soccer ball toward him. She turned back to the Doctor. "What did you say your name was?"

"Most people call me 'Doctor.'"

Her eyes grew wide. "The Doctor?"

"Jack must have told you dreadful stories about me."

"No… he never said much about you, but… that's what made it so mysterious. And I could always tell that he sort of… well, missed you, I suppose. You don't really live round the corner, do you?"

"It's where my home is at the moment," the Doctor said, thinking of the spot he'd parked the Tardis.

"Are you even really a doctor?"

"The best."

"Would you like to come in for some tea?"

_This is not what Jack asked me to do. I shouldn't have come back this far. But… there may be a way I can make things better. I've got to try._

"Tea would be lovely. Thank you."

* * *

The Doctor couldn't help it. When he thought of Jack watching his grandson die, visions of his own children dying sprang to mind. He didn't want Jack to be haunted by Steven's lifeless image.

So, he kept justifying things in his mind. It was only one life. He was going to ask Jack's help in saving someone later—this was the least he could do in return. And Steven was such a good kid. And the excuses went on. As did the visits.

He went to Alice's house twice more before the arrival of the Four Five Six; then it was time to make his final move. It was times like these that the Doctor was glad time was not a straight line and that changes could be made by twisting and stretching rather than cutting or breaking. He could already feel a wibbly-wobbly confusion of overlapping memories forming in his mind. Some of them were memories of things that hadn't happened. He had to make sure that they would.

He waited until he picked up the transmission and traced it to its source. He could hear the sound of a child's voice at an eerie pitch and Alice's screaming underneath it. He worked his way inside and waited in the shadows until the transmission ended. Then it was just Alice's voice. Then silence.

The quiet footsteps of a dozen people; someone whispering, "let her alone for a while," more silence.

The Doctor slipped from his hiding place and stepped into the doorway of a spacious room where Alice Carter was cradling her dead son. He heard her quiet sobbing. Then she sat up. A moment later, she looked back at him.

For a moment they just stared at each other. Then she said in a hoarse whisper, "You."

He walked slowly toward her.

"Why are you here?" Alice asked, a little louder. "Why are you coming now, when it's too late?" Fresh tears came to her eyes and she moaned, staring again at her son's lifeless face.

The Doctor knelt beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Alice. Truly, I am."

"Did you know this would happen? You said you knew my dad—was this planned? Was it…"

"Alice, shh." He leaned his head against hers and reached into his jacket with his free hand. He brought out the capsule the soldier captain had given him and managed to pry it open.

"What's that?" Alice asked with a sniff. She lifted her head and looked down at the glowing specks which were buzzing faintly.

"They're called nanogenes."

The glow surrounded Steven's face in a thin haze.

"What are they doing?"

"Assessing the damage," the Doctor said. He didn't want her to hope. He hadn't been in possession of these nanogenes for long; he hadn't had a chance to do much besides a quick reprogramming. If she expected a miracle and didn't get it now, it would kill her.

"What's the point of that? He's already dead." Her voice was bitter.

Slowly, the blood faded from Steven's face and ears. Alice wiped tears from her eyes and watched in curious silence.

_Come on,_ the Doctor thought. _It's only a human being—they're not that complicated a life form. You can do it._

Steven took in a breath. He blinked.

Alice gasped. "Steven?"

"Mum?" Steven looked around. "Where's Uncle Jack?"

She pulled him against herself and sobbed. "Oh, sweetheart…" she kissed his head and looked at the Doctor through tears of joy. "How did you…"

"I told you," the Doctor said, smiling at her. "I'm the best." He smiled as the nanogenes returned to their capsule and he closed them in.

"You certainly are," Alice said. She let go of Steven with one arm to hug the Doctor.

"You should tell Jack he's all right. He'll never forgive himself if he leaves thinking Steven didn't make it."

Alice started to get up and then paused. "Did he know you were coming? That you could save him?"

Steven looked at both of them like he wished one of them would talk sense.

"I'm sure he hoped I would. But… he couldn't know."

They all got to their feet and Alice looked uneasily at Steven.

"I'll stay with him," the Doctor promised. "He'll be right here when you get back."

"Mum…" Steven said, frowning. "What's going on?"

She stroked his cheek. "Don't worry about it, dear. We'll talk about it later. I've got to find Uncle Jack."

* * *

Jack didn't know what to expect from his daughter. She didn't seem to be in hysterics anymore. Maybe she would produce a gun and shoot him. But of course, she knew he wouldn't stay dead. Maybe she would shout at him. Tell him she hated him.

He waited in silence, knowing there was nothing he could say. "I'm sorry" would be a petty understatement, and "forgive me" was something he knew he had no right to ask.

They looked at each other for what seemed like a long, agonizing moment to Jack. Then she went back through the doorway without a word.

He leaned back against the wall. _She'll never forgive me. I lost them both. What am I doing here?_

* * *

"I couldn't do it," Alice reported.

The Doctor took his sonic screwdriver back from Steven and put it away. "Eh?"

"I couldn't tell him."

"Why not?"

"He doesn't deserve to know. He killed Steven and he deserves for that to eat away at him forever, no matter how long he lives."

"Steady on," the Doctor protested. "Jack's my friend and I did this for him. Do you understand? He's a good man and he did what he had to do because he's a soldier. But he asked me to look after you because he's also a father—he's the reason I'm here."

Alice put her arms around Steven. "He didn't know you would come. I won't tell him. I don't want him near Steven anymore. Ever again." She led her son toward the exit. "Come on, darling," she said. "It's time to go home."

"Did Uncle Jack save us?" Steven asked, obviously still confused.

Alice looked back at the Doctor. He nodded at her. _One way or another, he saved Steven and ten percent of the world's children._

"Yes, that's right," Alice said. "We're going home now. I think we're going to move somewhere else, soon. Maybe to stay with Aunt Sarah for a while."

The Doctor watched them leave. _Should I go tell him? Or should I let him suffer those five or six years…? Can I even tell him then?_

The memory of seeing Alice unhappy at her aunt's home had permanently faded under a stronger memory of Alice and Steven living in a cottage beside her aunt's. But the memory of Jack's tortured face as he asked the Doctor to find Alice was still fresh. She never contacted him in all those years.

* * *

_As the ninth Doctor said, be careful what you wish for. ;) More to come.  
_


	15. Dependence

_On we go; hope someone's reading and enjoying. Some Doctor Who spoilers here.  
_

* * *

Jack was just outside the Tardis door when the Doctor opened it.

"Been waiting long?"

"I've been checking every now and then for the last month. In case you were early."

The Doctor shook his head. "You've got to stop that," he said, hugging his friend. "Two years means two years."

"I know." Jack squeezed him hard. "So, did you make up your mind about Alice?"

_He certainly doesn't beat about the bush. _"Yes. I have. I went back a few years to check on her." The Doctor hesitated.

"And? Was she okay?"

"…Yes. She was doing quite well, actually."

"Really?" Jack studied the Doctor's face.

The Doctor concentrated on his superimposed memory of Alice and Steven a year after the Four Five Six, both of them happy. "Yes. She seemed happy."

"You're not saying that to make me feel better, right?"

"It's the truth. I promise, Jack. She's just fine."

Jack visibly relaxed. The lines on his brow faded and his stance became less rigid. "Thank you," he said quietly. He pulled the Doctor into a second hug. "Thank you so much for doing that."

He fell silent, and the Doctor was sure he was crying. Even the inhabitants of Los Angeles found the sight of them strange or interesting enough to stare at a little, but no one disturbed them.

"It's all right," the Doctor said, rubbing Jack's back. "I'll go check up on her again if you like."

"I'd really appreciate that."

"In the meantime… I've decided to go ahead with my plan, and I need your help."

"Sure; anything." Jack let the Doctor go.

"It won't be too difficult, I think, but it's a bit involved. Come inside and I'll explain."

* * *

"I asked to be alone with him for a while, and that's when you came in," the Doctor concluded.

"So… this happened. Already. I mean, in our past, we showed up and did this?"

"Right. Only I never told anyone about it, because I was pretty sure it wouldn't make sense to anyone else. And from what you said, you were a future you, so I knew better than to interfere too much. The memories are only just now solidifying... I heard an echo of them before, when the idea was taking shape..."

Jack ran a hand through his hair. "I don't really like the idea, but… I mean, what are you going to do with a frozen body?"

"For now, nothing. I don't think I'll implement the second half of my plan for decades—maybe centuries. Oh, I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me that at the end of the thirty years. After we have our adventure. But don't give me any details on this plan."

"Okay. I think I can handle that. Eight down; twenty-two to go. I can't wait. It's like you went to a movie premiere and I'm waiting for the DVD."

The Doctor shook his head with a fond smile. "Okay, so let's go over the specifics so everything will go smoothly."

* * *

When everything was ready, the Doctor set the Tardis in readiness.

"Here goes everything. Hold down that lever, will you?"

Jack did as he was told. He watched the Doctor running around the center of the ship, pulling some things and hitting others. He didn't like their objective, but he knew he couldn't deny the Doctor anything. He had kept Gray alive for him and made sure Alice was all right—and on top of that, he was cute.

"Here we are!" the Doctor cried triumphantly. "Go on out, nip round the corner, and you should find me there. Just hurry. We've a window of about ten minutes."

Jack nodded and went to the door.

* * *

The Doctor was standing by the table where they had laid the Master out. He put a warm hand over the Master's cold one.

"It's not fair. Of all the awful things you've done, dying was possibly the lowest blow. You wanted to leave me alone, didn't you?"

He spoke calmly and quietly, not paying much attention to whether or not he meant what he was saying.

"Would I have made such a terrible companion, really?"

"Doctor?"

The Doctor looked up. "Jack. What is it? Are you all right?"

"I can't explain everything, but you need to let me take the Master away. Right now."

"But…" the Doctor looked uncertain. "Where d'you mean to take him? Can you tell me why?"

"For now, I'll take him to America in another time. The reason is that you told me to."

"I don't remember telling you…"

"I know. You haven't yet," Jack clarified. "But you will."

"I'm sorry, but I need more information. I mean, how do I know you're actually Jack and not a shape-shifter? And if you are Jack, how do you know it was me that told you?"

Jack sighed. "We don't have time for this. I know—you never told me you had children. But I know you did. Because you're going to mention it. You told me to come take the Master's body here and now. You just have to trust me. Trust yourself."

The Doctor looked down at the Master's face. _I'm the last one again. Jack's going to take away the only evidence that there ever were more of my kind._ He brushed the master's hand with his thumb. "All right; take him."

Jack hurried forward and hoisted the Master's body over his shoulder. He gave the Doctor's arm a squeeze. "It'll be okay. Don't worry."

_Don't worry. Sure._ He wanted to give Jack some instruction. _Be careful?_ No, Jack knew better than he did what dangers were facing him in the future. _Take care of him?_ What sort of care does a corpse need, exactly? "Jack…"

Jack paused and turned back toward him.

"I'm counting on you."

Jack was expressionless. He nodded and went on his way.

* * *

"Okay, quick—let's get him stabilized; hault the deterioration and preserve him as soon as possible."

"Doctor, relax. This is old hat to me. I'll handle it."

The Doctor stood by nervously watching as Jack worked to keep the Master's body from decomposing.

"If it makes you so nervous, go in the other room. I'll let you know when he's done."

"No; I'm all right, really." He leaned against a wall in an attempt to keep still.

"By the way," Jack said, "as I was leaving, you said you were counting on me."

"Yes."

Jack licked his lips. "Well… it was like you knew. Kind of unnerved me."

"I knew that whatever you were doing, it was very important and I needed your help. I was counting on you to see it through—as I am now."

That answer seemed to satisfy Jack.

"There we go," Jack said, zipping the Master's bag shut. "Child's play. I'll put him in the locker next to Gray's."

"Is it really that simple?"

"Sure; it's no trick to keep a dead body in stasis—it's live ones that are tricky."

The Doctor relaxed. "Thanks very much. You were brilliant."

"Do I get a kiss?"

"Are we about to die?"

Jack sighed. "Can't blame me for trying." He and the Doctor loaded the bag into a drawer and Jack locked it. "So, what now?"

"Now it's on to the next two years."

"Already? I mean, this was fun and everything, but…"

The Doctor didn't like leaving Jack over and over, but he knew that the longer he indulged his friend, the more difficult it would be to leave him the last time. "I'm sorry, Jack. We're both needed. We can't just do as we please and let the universe go to the devil."

"I know. But I really miss you. We both know how maddening it is to be the only one around that doesn't age and die."

"That's our lot. You'll get stronger, Jack."

"Do you think of me? When you're doing other things, do I ever come to mind?"

"Sometimes. Often, lately."

"I think about you all the time," Jack admitted. "I think as long as I know you'll be back, I can keep going. You make me feel less alone."

_I need to leave,_ the Doctor thought anxiously. He didn't like the way this conversation was going. "I'll check on Alice again if you like."

Jack nodded. "Please do. And thank you."

"No trouble. Walk me to the Tardis?"

"All right."

The walk was quiet and uncomfortable. Neither of them said a word until they reached the Tardis.

"Until next time, then?" the Doctor said.

Jack delivered his customary hug, but it seemed a little more firm this time. Like he didn't intend to ever let go. "Will you do anything besides checking on Alice before you come back?"

"Maybe; I don't know yet." The Doctor returned the hug, wondering if it would be worse to break it before Jack was ready or to risk being held all night.

"I miss you."

"I know. But for all the lifetimes you've lived, two years oughtn't seem like so much. And you said you'd be all right if you knew I'd be back. So—I'll be back."

The Doctor felt Jack press his face into his neck. _Not good._ He reached up to put his hand on the back of Jack's head, ready to take preventive action if necessary.

"Thank you," Jack said quietly. He let out a long breath and loosened his hold slightly. "Doctor…"

"Yes?" He waited, hoping Jack wouldn't start in asking him to stay again.

"I'm counting on you."

The Doctor stood in stunned silence as Jack released him and walked away without looking back.

* * *

_We're almost caught up on what I wrote while the site was being stupid, so expect future chapters to be uploaded more slowly. In the meantime, encouraging messages or commissions are welcome. :)  
_


	16. Regret

_More Torchwood spoilers, but if you didn't skip the last two chapters there's no point in worrying about it now. :p  
_

* * *

The Doctor took several months off from Jack. He went to other worlds, saw other people, busied himself with other tasks. But he kept thinking of the Master, frozen in stasis at Torchwood, which always reminded him of Jack. It was getting harder and harder to get Jack to let him go. But somehow he always would, until the last time—maybe that was what the argument would be about.

Finally, the Doctor decided to make good on his promise to see Alice again. He found her at the cottage near her aunt's house a few months after the Four Five Six. He went to the low gate and quietly watched Alice help her son to plant some flowers near their front steps.

Steven was the first to notice their observer. "Mum, the Doctor's here."

Alice looked from Steven to the gate. She smiled slightly and pushed herself up off the ground.

"I wondered if you'd turn up again," Alice said, dusting her hands off as she walked.

The Doctor smiled at her. "Always do—like bad luck, me."

"Are you staying for tea?" Steven asked eagerly.

"Well…" the Doctor glanced at Alice, not certain that he was welcome.

"That would be nice," Alice said quickly. "Why don't you put the kettle on?"

Steven immediately jogged toward the house. "All right!" he said.

Alice turned back toward the Doctor. "He's been right as rain all this time," she said. "I don't know how to thank you."

"No thanks necessary. I'm just glad to see him doing so well."

"Did Dad send you?"

"I offered to come. But yes, he wanted me to. And I'll be reporting to him that you're still doing well."

"Do you think he'll try to come round himself one of these days?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Certainly not. He still believes Steven is dead."

"Oh. I… thought you would tell him."

"I assumed you didn't want me to."

"You assumed correctly."

"Alice," the Doctor said slowly, "I last saw Jack a few years from now—in the future. He's still eaten up over this. Can't you let him go? Let him know that his grandson lives. He won't try to see you if you don't want him to."

Alice opened the gate and led the Doctor toward her home. "A few years from now," she repeated. "You just jumped back in time for a visit?"

"Pretty much."

"And years from now, he still hasn't found out about Steven?"

"He hasn't dared try to see you. But he misses you terribly. Thinks about you all the time."

They left the conversation as they entered the cottage. Steven had set out cream and sugar with three teacups on the kitchen table. The kettle was warming on the stove.

"Mum, we have any biscuits left?" Steven asked.

"Let me see." Alice looked in a cupboard over the sink. "Here they are."

"You like biscuits?" Steven asked the Doctor.

The Doctor smiled. "Who doesn't?"

"You're a doctor—can you tell mum they're one of the five food groups, or that they're high in potassium or something?"

Alice laughed. "I don't think the Doctor is a nutrition specialist, love. And you certainly aren't either."

"It was worth a try," the Doctor said.

"You still got that sonic screwdriver?" Steven asked when they were finishing up their tea.

"I certainly have," the Doctor answered, bringing the instrument out.

"Hold on a minute," Steven said, heading for the adjoining room, "I've got something to show you."

Alice smiled apologetically. "He's been hoping to see you again," she said. "Always talking about that sonic screwdriver ever since you showed it to him."

"Well, he probably can't resist the pull of alien technology," the Doctor mused. "I'm always intrigued with the ways of other species."

Steven returned a moment later. "Here it is!"

The Doctor took the object which Steven held out to him. It was obviously meant to be a replica of the sonic screwdriver. It was slightly larger than the original and not very detailed, but the overall shape was unmistakable.

"Look at this!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Your own sonic screwdriver! This bit looks like part of a flashlight—is it?"

"Yeah; switches on here."

"Brilliant. Where'd you get the blue lens?"

Steven frowned in thought. "Part of a Lego set, I think. Can't remember."

"That is… absolutely brilliant. Can you make me one of these?"

"Trade for yours."

The Doctor grinned. "Ah, you're a clever businessman, aren't you? Sorry, but I can't give this one up. Might fall into the wrong hands and all."

"I wouldn't let anyone else use it."

"Steven, the Doctor's right," Alice put in. "It's a tool he needs."

Steven shrugged and the Doctor knew he hadn't expected the trade to go through.

"Will you stay a while?"

"Well…" the Doctor turned his sonic screwdriver in his hands. "I should probably get going. But…"

"Do you know where Uncle Jack is?"

The Doctor glanced at Alice, but her expression was blank.

"We haven't seen him since the alien thing," Steven went on. "Do you know if he's okay?"

"Yeah. He's… he's okay."

"Why doesn't he come?"

"He can't, I'm afraid." The Doctor looked back at Steven in sincere apology. "He just can't." He stood slowly. "I'd better go. Would you get my coat?"

"Yes, sir." Steven left the room.

The Doctor turned to Alice. "I can take you with me. You can see him a few years in the future. You'll see then that he's really been suffering."

"Do you think anything can undo what he did?" Alice asked in a cold, quiet voice.

"No. At least, Jack certainly doesn't think so. But Steven is here with you—alive. I've undone it as best I can, and from this point I don't think Jack can be any sorrier than he is."

"If he had the choice to make again, he'd do the same thing."

The Doctor looked at her sharply. "How do you know that?"

Tears were starting to pool in her eyes.

"Here's your coat, Doctor."

The Doctor held out his hand and took the coat before turning to look at Steven. "Thank you. Take good care of your mother, Steven."

"Will you come again?"

"I… don't know."

Suddenly, Alice moved toward him as if she were coming out of a trance. "Doctor—take us to see him. Just once. So I can tell him what happened. That's all."

"Are you sure that's what you want?"

Steven looked uncertainly at his mother. "Mum…"

Alice leaned over and put her hand on Steven's shoulder. "Sweetheart, do you want to see Uncle Jack? It may be the last time we can."

"Why is it the last time?"

"Do you want to see him?"

"Yeah. Course I do."

Alice nodded. "Yes, Doctor. Please, take us with you."

* * *

"Just like proper aliens!" Steven said excitedly, running around the Tardis.

"Be careful," Alice cautioned him. "Don't touch anything without asking the Doctor."

"You're taking this well," the Doctor observed.

"What—time travel?"

He shook his head. "We haven't got to that bit yet—most people feel a bit sick when they realize it's bigger on the inside."

"Yes, well…" Alice looked around. "…having a child to look after… I suppose it makes me less concerned for myself."

The Doctor went to the controls and put his hands on them. "Right, Steven. Ready for the future?"

"Is it ready for me?" Steven countered.

The Doctor laughed. "We'll find out. Here we go. Oh, you see that big red… well, that red thing there? Whack it with that mallet, will you? There's a good boy."

Alice clung to the nearest support and kept her eyes on her son. "This is completely safe, isn't it?" she asked above the whooshing noise.

"Of course," the Doctor assured her. _Please work properly. This would be a really __**bad**__ time to have problems…_

They landed and the Doctor checked their time and location. "Good… good… very good. We're about a day early, and a few yards off, but we're not in a highway or anything, so overall… brilliant."

It was ten years after the Doctor had agreed to take Jack with him to find Tsukiga. Jack had just twenty years more to wait.

"There he is," the Doctor said, pointing out his surveillance screen. "I'll just go chat with him for a minute before you come out, Alice. Steven, you wait inside until your mother comes to fetch you. Understood?"

"Okay," Steven agreed, standing in front of the screen. "How long has it been? He looks just the same."

"A few years," the Doctor said evasively. "Please don't touch anything while I'm gone."

"We won't," Alice promised.

The Doctor took a deep breath and stepped outside.

"Hey," Jack said. "A little early, aren't you?"

"Just a day," the Doctor answered. He hugged Jack. "Rough two years?"

"You can tell."

"I'm sorry. Want to tell me what happened?"

"Not really." Jack let go. "How's Alice? Did you see her again?"

"I did. She's doing well."

"Good. Thanks. I guess she's… moving on, then?"

The Doctor hesitated, wondering how to bring Alice out without shocking his friend too badly. _Of course, he can't die or anything, but still…_ "Sort of. I talked to her."

"What did you tell her?"

"That I was a friend of yours. We talked a good deal."

Jack looked uncertain. "I'm surprised she wanted to talk to any friend of mine. It didn't upset her?"

"At times, I'm sure it did. But in the end, she decided she wanted to contact you again."

Jack froze. He stood in silence a moment. "When?" he asked numbly.

"Today, if that's all right."

Jack's eyes grew wide, searching the Doctor's. "You…" he slowly turned to look at the Tardis. "You mean you…"

The Doctor gripped Jack's shoulder. "Alice," he called softly, "it's time."

"You brought her here," Jack whispered. "That's not what I asked you to do…"

The Tardis door opened and Alice emerged.

The Doctor could hear Jack's breathing as it quickened. He saw tears springing up in Jack's eyes and beginning to run down his face.

Jack opened his mouth to say something, but he caught his breath instead.

Alice looked blankly at him for a long time while the Doctor felt more and more uncomfortable. Maybe this was too much. Maybe this was a very bad idea. Maybe this was what he and Jack would argue over.

"There's nothing I can say to you," Jack choked.

The Doctor put his arm around Jack, worrying that his friend might fall over.

Alice barely moved. Her eyes seemed to glaze over, but no tears fell.

"I'm sure you must hate me," Jack went on when he was able. "I hate myself so much—I'm sure it doesn't compare to what you're feeling. I'm sorry. Alice… please. Say something."

The tears finally spilled over Alice's eyelids and she stepped forward.

When Jack sank to his knees in front of her, the Doctor crouched beside him. _This is my doing, and I have to stick by him, whatever happens._

Alice put her hands on Jack's shoulders and slowly knelt in front of him. She stared into his face while the tears continued to run down it. "If you could," she whispered, "would you take it back?"

His arm still around Jack, the Doctor felt his friend go completely rigid, as if he'd been stabbed in the spine. Complete silence fell around them. The Doctor could feel his two hearts pounding against his ribs. _No. This is all wrong. It was all a big mistake—they were better off before. Why did I have to ask her to come? Why couldn't I leave it alone?_

"No."

* * *

_D: Gah! what a horrible place to stop! xD  
_


	17. Healing

_Okay, you get the fallout now. xD_

* * *

_No? No! Jack…_ The Doctor's head was reeling. He couldn't imagine what would happen next. He didn't want to. He'd just been trying to help Jack heal his family but surely this would permanently rip them apart again. Alice would never want to speak to either of them again. She'd take Steven home and they would live their quiet, broken lives far away from Jack.

Alice lifted her hand slowly and ran her fingers over Jack's face.

The Doctor didn't breathe. _I'm sorry, Jack. I didn't want it to be this way… I'm sorry._

Alice slipped her arms around Jack and she buried her face in his shoulder.

_What?_ The Doctor stared. He could barely hear Alice's whisper.

"I forgive you."

If Jack made an answer, it was unintelligible.

"I hate it," Alice went on. "I hate what you did. But I think I understand why you did it."

Jack clung to her and sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

"I know." She kissed his head and got to her feet.

The Doctor was still stunned. He was vaguely aware that he still had an arm around Jack, but that wasn't remotely important. His mind was trying to make sense of it. He remembered Alice's words…

"_If he had the choice to make again, he'd do the same thing."_

"_How do you know that?"_

His mind scrambled, tossing ideas together, trying to recognize a pattern that made some sense. _She knew he'd do the same over again. Because she would? No… because it's right? That can't be it… can it? Because there was nothing else to be done?_

Alice went back to the door of the Tardis and pushed it open. "All right, love," she said.

This time the Doctor felt Jack melt against him, as if the last ounce of strength had been stolen from his body.

"Steven…"

"Uncle Jack—what's wrong?" Steven ran to Jack and threw his arms around him. "What's happened?"

For a moment the Doctor was afraid Jack was going to suffocate before he could answer his grandson.

"Nothing's wrong, soldier," Jack said at last, his voice tight. "I'm just so glad you're here. How… how did you get here?"

"The Doctor brought us in his time machine," Steven said, sounding a bit confused again.

Jack looked over Steven's shoulder at the Doctor. "When? When did you pick them up?"

"Afterwards," the Doctor answered. "After the Four Five Six. I brought him back with nanogenes."

Looking somewhat less unnerved, Jack rubbed Steven's back and kissed his head softly. "Where did you get them?"

"I haven't yet, as far as you're concerned. I acquire them at the end of the Tsukiga adventure. But don't let on that you know."

Jack blinked. "Okay… whatever you say. Oh, Steven. I'm so glad you're all right."

"Of course, I'm all right," Steven said, pulling back slightly to look at Jack with a puzzled expression.

"Of course, you are," Jack agreed, smiling through the tears drying on his face.

"Doctor," Steven said, turning toward him, "why is everyone so upset?"

The Doctor looked to Alice with a questioning expression.

"Because," Alice said, going to crouch beside Steven, "you were in very serious danger the last time we saw Uncle Jack. You were unconscious for a while—the Doctor made you better. But Uncle Jack thought you had died."

It was a feasible story, the Doctor reflected. And it didn't show Jack in a bad light.

"But… why didn't you tell him? We shouldn't have skipped ahead years to now," Steven said anxiously.

"You couldn't tell me before," Jack put in. "I was out of reach for a long time. But it's all right now."

Jack and Alice exchanged a look and a subtle nod. Alice would not tell Steven that Jack had sacrificed him, and Jack would not tell Steven that Alice could have contacted him any time she pleased. Not, at least, until he was older.

"Come on," Jack said, standing. "Let's go celebrate. I'm going to buy you all the pizza you can eat."

The Doctor fell into step with Alice behind Jack and Steven.

"You forgave him," he said quietly.

"Yes. You would have, wouldn't you?"

"I don't know. I like to think so. But Steven isn't my son."

"Exactly." Alice stared straight ahead of her, watching her father with her son. "If he'd said he would take it back, I could never have forgiven him. But he couldn't take it back. Because it wasn't a mistake he made. It was a choice he made to save a tenth of the earth's children. He still believes in that choice. If he didn't, it would mean he'd killed my son for nothing, and I would hate him."

_She hates what he did, but she understands the reason._ It finally made sense to the Doctor—or as much sense as it was ever likely to. "You're a very strong woman, Alice Carter."

"Have to be, don't I?" she said dryly.

The Doctor watched Jack's back in front of him. _I have to be strong, too._

* * *

"Can't we stay until tomorrow?" Steven wheedled. "Just one more day?"

"I'm getting too distracted from my work," Jack told him. "Having too much fun with you."

"We can come again sometime," Alice said.

Steven brightened. "Can we, Doctor?"

"I don't see why not," the Doctor replied. "I could even bring Jack to see you, if you like."

Alice nodded. "That would be fine."

Steven squeezed Jack. "Bye, Uncle Jack."

"Goodbye, soldier." Jack kissed him. "I love you."

Steven looked a little annoyed. "I'm too old for that, now. This isn't how most captains send their soldiers to battle, is it?"

Jack laughed and the Doctor smiled broadly. _If you only knew, Steven… Jack does treat most of his soldiers that way…_

"Fair enough," Jack said. He stood back and gave a salute. "You know your duties, soldier. Give me a report next time I see you."

"Yes, captain," Steven answered, saluting in return. He went to stand by the Doctor while his mother said her goodbyes.

The Doctor put a hand on Steven's shoulder. He hadn't let the boy out of his sight since they'd arrived. He knew he'd done enough interfering and if anything happened to the boy, he would never forgive himself—and he would certainly not want to face Alice.

They couldn't hear the things Jack and Alice said quietly to each other, but father and daughter embraced and neither looked angry. The sadness was still there, but much less pronounced than it had been on their meeting.

Alice led Steven toward the Tardis.

"I'll be right there," the Doctor called. He braced himself and approached Jack.

"You could have ruined what was left of my life," Jack said bluntly.

The Doctor nodded. "I know. I knew it was risky, but I didn't realize _how_ risky. I'm sorry about that. And I'm sorry I didn't discuss it with you first—I just didn't want to get your hopes up."

Jack smiled. "Okay. No matter how much it scared me, it turned out all right, so we don't need to argue over it." He put his arms around the Doctor and held him tightly. "Thank you."

"I'm glad it worked out," the Doctor answered, hugging his friend in return. "I'll be back in two years." He turned toward the Tardis and Jack fell into step beside him. "Think I'll take a trip in between, though. Maybe visit a Christmas of long ago. Christmases are usually interesting, aren't they?"

"Yeah. Have fun. Let me know if Santa does anything weird."

"If he does, I'm sure you'll be the first to know," the Doctor laughed. "Can't imagine the sort of thing he'd put in your stocking."

"I still put out milk and cookies. I never miss a year."

"I'll bet the Pterodactyl eats them."

"We don't have it anymore. Big explosion, remember?"

"Well, I'm sure you can't possibly be on the nice list anymore… does Santa still eat the goodies if a naughty child put them out?"

Jack shoved the Doctor lightly. "Ask him for me."

* * *

_So now you should be able to figure out where the Doctor is in his timeline. The story is still far from over. If you haven't lost interest, stay tuned!  
_


	18. Families

_On with the show...  
_

* * *

"Twelve years down," the Doctor told Jack.

Jack nodded. "You know… Torchwood is getting ready to move again. And by that I mean change location. The trouble in LA is pretty well contained now, and I'd like to take my end of things back to the UK. The Cardiff rift is getting pretty active again."

"So, should I go to Cardiff next time?"

"Maybe. Or maybe someone should go back and tell you that all this waiting is pointless. Just take me now."

"No, no. Can't." The Doctor shook his head. "Because I've already picked you up after the thirty years. It's done. And all in all, things went all right, so I don't want to risk changing anything."

"Do I look the same?"

"I didn't notice a change. What is the obsession about looks anyway?"

Jack looked a little subdued. "Just asking, that's all. Can't help being curious. So, where did you go in between?"

"Christmas, long time ago, like I said. Ran into some cybermen and met a nice man who thought he was me."

"Maybe he was you."

"Ruled out the possibility, trust me. Still… nice man. We had Christmas dinner."

"No."

"Yes."

Jack grinned. "Sounds like you had fun. Run into Santa Clause?"

"No. Well… not the actual man, no. But there's a bit of Father Christmas in every kind spirit, isn't there?"

"Absolutely." Jack lifted his glass in a toast. "So, now that you had Christmas with the nice delusional guy, how about letting me spend Christmas with my family?"

The Doctor considered. "I suppose… Alice did say I could take you. But maybe she'll have plans for Christmas."

"Then we'll go the night before and not stay late. Please?"

"Well. Since you asked nicely," the Doctor said with a small smile.

Jack jumped up and hugged him. "Thank you. I knew you'd say yes."

"All right, all right. Let a fellow breathe." The Doctor spoke lightly, but he was uneasy. Jack was getting too familiar with him. When had that started? _Well… if I'm honest with myself it started back on Satellite Five, but we were going to die, so… Then the next time he saw me we had a big old bear hug and it just went on from there… It's become customary. And he's going to keep expecting it. Maybe I can forestall the impending argument if I keep a little more distance now…_

"Doctor?"

The Doctor pulled himself back to the present. "Right; are you ready now? _Allons__-y_; no time like the present. Or the past, depending on how you look at it."

Jack smiled. "Right you are."

* * *

Alice set the goose in the icebox. "We'll put it in the oven in the morning and it'll be perfect for Christmas dinner."

"What about lunch?" Steven asked.

"We'll just have soup and sandwiches for lunch; you'll be enjoying your presents anyway. You'll want to eat quickly, right?"

The doorbell rang.

"Let me see who that is…" Alice peeked out the window and then hurried to open the door.

The Doctor straightened up and gave her a quizzical look. "Hullo. Sorry it's such short notice, but my Christmas cake went a bit wrong and I'm having to start from scratch. Could I borrow a cup of sugar?"

Alice grinned at him. "I really can't picture you baking. Come here, love." She hugged him. "Steven, come see who it is!"

"I'm afraid I've brought someone else along," the Doctor said. "Found this military man wandering about; no family left. Thought we might cheer him up for Christmas."

Alice stepped past him. "Dad?"

Jack moved into the light from the doorway. "Hello. Am I still welcome?" His tone was characteristically blithe, but the Doctor could see that his words were not chosen without sobriety.

"Of course," Alice answered. She embraced her father and kissed his cheek. "It's been only a few months, but Steven's growing like a weed—just look."

Steven did appear to be taller, and he hadn't been idle, either.

"I've made improvements," he said, handing his sonic screwdriver replica to the Doctor.

"So you have," the Doctor answered in admiration. "What's this switch for?"

"Try it."

The Doctor pushed the switch forward and heard a buzzing not unlike the sound that came from his own screwdriver. "That is brilliant. How'd you manage that?"

"A mini speaker and parts from an MP3 player. Now it does everything yours does—except the useful bits."

Jack laughed. "Sounds a bit like my team, Doctor. We do everything you do, but on a much less impressive scale."

"Not at all," the Doctor contradicted. "Anyway, form needn't always follow function. This is really brilliant."

"I need some help working out how to get it to unlock doors."

"Let's all get inside and close the door first," Alice said. "It's a bad idea to catch cold on Christmas Eve."

Jack sipped his tea quietly, watching the Doctor scheming with Steven in a corner.

"Look at them," Alice said, sitting beside him. "I think Steven might be an electrician one day. Or an inventor."

"He's a smart kid. He can do anything."

Alice sighed. "I just hope he chooses something… safe."

Jack was silent a long time, watching his grandson and the Doctor, thinking about the future and the past.

"What are you thinking?"

"Well…" Jack licked his lips and glanced at his daughter. "You really want to know?"

Alice nodded and he went on.

"I was thinking about what Steven and I have in common. Not just personality—we've both died helping to save the world. And we were both brought back to life by a friend. He doesn't understand it yet, but someday it might hit him hard; make him want to put his life into something that will help other people. He might want to use this second chance in a big way." He waited, fearing she might be upset with him.

"Is that why you do what you do? Because someone gave your life back to you?"

"Partly. Someone or something is keeping me in stasis. There must be a reason, I think."

She studied his face. "You never seemed religious when I was growing up," she said at last.

"I'm not, exactly. But if it's not a higher power keeping me around than it may well be a sinister creature, waiting for the right time to use me in its evil plot. I just prefer to be open-minded."

"I suppose that makes sense." She smiled for a moment. "I hope you're wrong about Steven, though. I hope he sees his second chance as the chance to have a good, normal life."

_Loving a good woman, growing old with her, dying with her. The life that refuses to work for me._ "I hope I'm wrong, too."

Alice leaned her head on Jack's shoulder. "Why don't you two stay the night and have Christmas with us?"

"Aren't you having Aunt Sarah over? I know she only met me at the wedding, way back before you were born, but… I'm sure she's seen pictures. Won't she be suspicious?"

"You can say you're his nephew."

"So that makes me Steven's first cousin, once removed. I guess it would still make sense for him to call me his 'uncle.' But won't she wonder why she never heard of me?"

"She's in her sixties, Dad. I'll tell her I'm sure she was told about you at some point and she'll assume she forgot." Alice shrugged.

"Now just a minute, young lady. I didn't teach you to lie."

"Yes you did—you may not have offered formal lessons, but you certainly taught by example."

Jack looked at the floor. "Yeah… I guess I had that coming." He lifted his gaze to hers. "Alice…"

"No, don't. Never mind. But please, stay. Who knows when we'll be together again? Stay for Steven."

"If you really want me to, of course I will. I don't know about the Doctor, though. He doesn't… do families."

Alice turned toward the Doctor and watched as he explained something that was probably very complicated to Steven. "I don't see why not… I think he'd be very good at families."

Something squirmed inside Jack and he wasn't sure why. He shoved the feeling away to be reexamined later. "I'll ask him, but I don't know if he'll agree."

"Mum," Steven said, approaching them, "The Doctor's going to help me calibrate a sonic impulse that will impose polarity on a screw."

Alice smiled. "That's lovely. What does it mean?"

"I'll be able to use my screwdriver to drive real screws—without touching them."

Jack grinned and ruffled Steven's hair. "We'd better keep an eye on the Doctor or he'll have you in a geeky pair of specs soon…"

"Oy," the Doctor exclaimed. "I heard that. They're not geeky—they make me look clever."

Jack crossed the room and leaned on the wall by the Doctor. "I didn't say they didn't—but they'd look geeky on Steven. As for you…" he lowered his voice. "I think they make you look adorable."

"Jack."

"So, Alice wants us to stay overnight. To spend Christmas with them."

The Doctor allowed himself to be distracted. "Are you asking my permission?"

"It's your Tardis. Alice would love to have you, but if you really can't take it you're going to have to make an extra trip to come back for me."

"You're taking it for granted that I'll let _you_ stay."

Jack nodded. "I already told her I would."

"Doctor," Steven interrupted, "can you stay for Christmas dinner tomorrow? We're having a huge goose."

The Doctor glanced sideways at Steven. "Is it as big as you?"

"Nearly."

"Well then…" He looked from Steven to Jack and back again. "I suppose there's nothing for it. But we'll have to go directly after."

Steven grinned. "Brill! I'll go fix my room for you."

"Way-way-wait a minute," the Doctor stammered. "You don't have to do that. I'll stay in the Tardis."

Steven paused mid-stride. "Can _I_ stay in the Tardis?"

"Well…"

Jack saw the Doctor's chagrin and a slow smile spread over his face.

"What's this room of yours like, anyway?"

"Come on; I'll show you."

* * *

_Doctor-overprotective of the Tardis much? :) The sleepover is up next.  
_


	19. Foreboding

_I don't own Doctor Who or Torchwood etc, etc, etc. Please review to let me know someone's reading. Don't be bashful. :p  
_

* * *

"It's nice and everything, but I really don't mind sleeping on the sofa," the Doctor told Steven. He was lying in Steven's bed, dressed in a bathrobe that had belonged to Steven's father. Jack and his grandson were camped out on the carpet with sleeping bags.

"We're used to sleeping on the ground, right Uncle Jack?"

"Absolutely," Jack replied. "We're soldiers. Do this all the time."

Steven nodded happily. He reached over to his desk's lowest drawer and pulled out a sheaf of papers. "Here's my report, Captain."

Jack took the papers and looked them over. "I forgot I told you to make a report. Hmm. The neighbor's dog… it barked at your mother so you fixed the hole in the fence—then a few days later someone kicked the dog and you threw a rock at them?"

"Dog was on its own property. No harm in its barking from there," Steven said with conviction. "Git was asking for it."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows.

"And you got grounded for that, I see."

"Yeah. Mum said if she didn't punish me the guy was going to make a fuss. And I'm not allowed to throw rocks at people unless they're attacking us."

"Good advice." Jack flipped through the pages, holding them over his head since he was lying on his back. "It's not exactly military activity, but… you've written this up almost exactly like a real military report. Did someone help you with this?"

"No. It wasn't too hard to find some formatting guidelines. I'm good with Google."

Jack glanced at the Doctor. "And you're good with electronics. How about computers?"

"A bit. I'm learning how to design my own web site. It's a forum for kids to discuss the Four Five Six. Grown-ups aren't allowed."

"So… you're teaching yourself html?"

"Yeah. I want to learn binary, though," Steven said.

"Does your mum feed you fish much?" the Doctor asked.

"Fish? Sometimes."

"She's doing something right by your brain."

Jack laughed. "Give his lineage some credit. Everyone in your family's smart; right, soldier?"

"Right, Captain." Steven looked up at the Doctor. "Since tomorrow's Christmas, we probably won't get much sleep. Do you know any good ghost stories?"

"I know some dreadful ones. They're too scary for telling," the Doctor replied.

"Oh, come on. What's so scary about them?"

"They're true."

Steven grinned. "That's the best kind. Please?"

The Doctor sighed. "Well… I suppose I could tell one. It was Christmas time, like now. Only it was a very long time ago: the late eighteen hundreds. Charles Dickens was on tour in Cardiff, performing _A Christmas Carol_ and some of his other works…"

* * *

By the time the Doctor finished his story, Jack had fallen asleep, lulled away on the soft, familiar voice. Steven, however was barely getting sleepy.

"That was brilliant. You're really good at telling ghost stories."

"Did it scare you?" the Doctor asked, wondering if he would get a scolding from Alice.

"A little, but that's the point. It was great. I wish you'd come see us more often."

"I'm always traveling, though. Don't always get a chance to stop and see people."

"But you've got a time machine," Steven argued. "You can be away for years and come back a few days from now."

The Doctor smiled up at the ceiling. "Yes, but you can't always manipulate time to suit your fancy. Sometimes it's got a mind of its own."

"How d'you mean?"

"It's a bit difficult to explain. Maybe in a few years, after you've studied up on relativity and suchlike, I'll try giving you a few more details. But I wouldn't mention it to your mum. She might worry I'll take you off and leave her."

"We could just take her along," Steven said with enthusiasm. "She likes you. You like her, don't you?"

"Certainly, I like her." The Doctor paused. _He's not up to a bit of match-making, is he?_ He made a note to tread carefully around Alice. "She's a good mum to you. We'd better try to sleep now."

"Okay. Good night, Doctor."

* * *

The Doctor sipped eggnog while they watched Steven unwrap his presents. Alice had gotten her son a chemistry set, new blue jeans and a computer game. Santa Clause had left assorted batteries, candy and several packs of trading cards in his stocking.

"These are great," Steven said, thumbing through the cards. "They're like money at school. You can trade for all sorts of things, not just cards."

"Maybe he'll be an economist," the Doctor murmured.

"Time for my present," Jack said, holding a small package out to Steven. "Your mother said to tell you to be careful with it or it will be confiscated."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "Did you wrap it yourself?"

"I got my profiler to wrap it," Jack admitted. "She's good at that stuff."

Steven tore off the wrapping and lifted the lid from the box. "Oh, excellent," he said. "I lost my old pocket knife. This one's much better."

"It's a jackknife," Jack said with a wink. "It'll remind you of your uncle."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Dreadful," he muttered.

"Don't let me catch you cutting up the Christmas tree before Aunt Sarah even gets to see it," Alice warned.

"Don't worry," Steven replied. "I'll wait till she's gone."

* * *

Alice started lunch preparations while the Doctor and Jack supervised Steven sorting out his chemistry set on the other side of the room.

"I never thought to ask," the Doctor said quietly. "What happened to Steven's father?"

Jack shrugged. "He was no good. Left."

"Did you know him?"

"As well as I cared to. I didn't want Alice to get involved with him, but she had her heart set on it. In the end I decided I'd rather have her angry with him than me. Selfish, I guess. But he wasn't a danger to her that I knew. Just an idiot."

"And she never found anyone else?"

"I think she figured she and Steven were better off on their own unless she could find someone really exceptional. Make sure the investment was worth it—you know."

The Doctor nodded. "That makes sense. Do you think Steven misses having a dad?"

"Probably. He was pretty young when Joe left, but I think he remembers more of the good than the bad."

"Oh, nice," Steven interrupted. "There's instructions here on how to turn a flame different colors."

"Useful for signaling reinforcements," Jack told him. He looked back at the Doctor. "I'd be thrilled if she could find someone worthwhile, but… it would have to be someone we both trusted, or he couldn't know about me. And… I'm sorry, why are you asking about this, anyway? You don't usually get involved."

"I know. It's just… I think Steven may be hoping to set me up with Alice."

Jack was silent a long time, hints of various emotions ghosting over his features. Finally, he said, "Really?"

"He asked me if I liked her."

"If you like her or if you _like her?"_

"I'm not sure."

"Huh." A half-hearted smile began to dominate Jack's face. "Well… you fit the criteria better than anyone else I can think of…"

"Jack."

"I'm not saying you _should…_ Hell, it'd be way too awkward having you for a son-in-law. Although, since Steven thinks of me as his uncle, it'd be more like we were brothers. That wouldn't be bad."

"_Jack,"_ the Doctor said, more insistently.

"All right. What are you worried about? It's not like she's flirting with you. And there's no harm in being a father figure to Steven."

"I don't do families."

Jack sighed. "Yeah, I know. But Alice thinks you'd be good at them."

The Doctor's eyes widened. "She said that?"

"Pretty much."

"When?"

"When you and Steven were thick as thieves over the sonic screwdriver."

The Doctor fell silent, somewhat unnerved.

"It'll be fine," Jack said. "Don't look so worried."

* * *

"Jack never mentioned having siblings," Sarah said suspiciously.

"Not surprised," Jack told her. "My dad was the black sheep of the family. But he still thought enough of Alice's dad to name me after him."

"Granddad Sangster's name was Jack, too?" Steven asked.

The Doctor massaged his temples. _That IS your "Granddad Sangster,_" he thought dismally. _Poor kid's going to be confused his whole life…_

"You look just like your uncle," Sarah said, still eyeing Jack as if she knew something wasn't quite right.

"So they tell me. I think Alice got the best looks in the family, though."

Alice made a small noise halfway between laughter and indignation.

_Her dad's complimenting her but he's coming across as a flirtatious cousin… what a mess,_ the Doctor thought. _Staying was really a bad idea._

"And who is this handsome young man?" Sarah asked, turning toward the Doctor. "Not from the Carter side, by the look of him."

"He's the family Doctor," Jack supplied.

_Family doctor?_ The Doctor thought, incensed. _After all the trouble I go to to make it clear that I __**don't do families,**__ he comes out with that!_

"Oh, really? Since when?"

"We were neighbors before Steven and I moved here," Alice supplied. "I met him a couple of years back. He saved Steven's life once."

Sarah appeared duly impressed. "Well then, I do wish you a merry Christmas, Doctor. I hope you go on caring for this little family."

The Doctor didn't like the way Sarah was looking at him. _Great guns, she's at it, too! Everyone wants me to court Alice. Fabulous. I want to go home._

* * *

_Sorry, Doctor, but you'll have to suffer just a little longer. :p  
_


	20. Mistletoe

_Sorry it took me a bit longer than usual to update. Real life... thanks for the reviews, though. :)  
_

* * *

Sarah soon put her inhibitions aside and began endearing herself to her niece's visitors. She helped Alice prepare lunch and initiated a modest carol sing—which even the Doctor joined in, if a bit less enthusiastically than the others.

"Mistletoe, Jack," Sarah said, smiling and pointing up.

"Fair enough." Jack kissed her.

The Doctor made a mental note not to get caught in the kitchen doorway.

Steven made a disgusted face. "Come on, Doctor. Let's work on my screwdriver some more."

"Right behind you, mate," the Doctor said grimly.

But when dinnertime came around and Steven's sonic screwdriver was turning slot-head screws, the Doctor had completely forgotten his unease. He paused in the doorway to admire the feast before him and didn't realize his danger until Sarah was at his side.

"Doctor—mistletoe."

Completely nonplused, the Doctor looked up. "Actually… that's holly, isn't it?"

"Spoil-sport," Jack snapped.

"I don't care what it is," Sarah declared. She kissed the Doctor-on the cheek, mercifully.

Steven hurried to his place at the table as if terrified of being smooched.

"Hold on, soldier," Jack said. "Wait for the hostess to be seated."

"But it's my house," Steven said blankly.

Jack sighed. "Kids these days." He carried the roast goose to the table for Alice; then he pulled out her chair.

Alice indulged him with a knowing smile. "So cavalier," she said.

The Doctor realized that decorum demanded he seat Sarah and he did so with misgivings.

"You see," Jack told Steven, "that's how it's done."

"Great," Steven said dryly. "Now I'll show you how to eat a Christmas dinner."

* * *

Jack insisted on driving Sarah home—because no one should have to drive home alone on Christmas, and not at all because she'd had a questionable amount of eggnog with a certain secret ingredient. He would take a cab back to Alice's house after.

In reality, the Doctor had reactivated the spacial capabilities of Jack's vortex manipulator enough to let him jump straight back once he had seen Sarah home. In the meantime the Doctor sipped a cup of tea and watched Steven triumphantly using his sonic screwdriver on actual screws.

"Now, you can't show it to anyone," the Doctor cautioned.

"I know," Steven answered. "They'd want to take it apart to figure out how I made it and sell the technology before its time."

"That's good insight."

Alice brought her own tea to the kitchen table and sat across from the Doctor. "It will be a hard secret to keep, but Steven's good at that."

"Having it is better than getting to tell about it," Steven said.

The Doctor smiled. "As I said, good insight."

"He's really loved having you here," Alice said, lowering her voice so Steven wouldn't overhear. "It was very nice that you could come at Christmas."

"That was Jack's idea. He misses having family at the holidays."

"Don't you?"

The Doctor hesitated. "I suppose so. But holidays are different in my culture."

"What sort of holidays do you have?"

Again, the Doctor was reluctant to answer. He slowly set down his cup, allowing his mind to wander back home, many long years before. "There's one for the planet," he said quietly. "And one for the people. And one for the universe, and one for time. The time one's sort of ongoing, though—never really stops. Just observed on a particular day. And there's one for friendship, though it's not globally celebrated. But it was always a favorite with me."

"And this culture of yours—it's from far in the future, like Dad's?"

"No… it's from far in your past. The Timelords were there long before the humans."

Alice studied his face. "You're not human."

"No. Does that upset you?" He waited, wondering why he cared about her answer.

"No, I suppose it shouldn't. Though it does rather disappoint me that such a kind, brilliant person isn't one of my kind."

He smiled. "That's very flattering. Thanks for that."

She warmed her fingers against the side of her teacup. "Will you bring Jack to see us again?"

"Yes, I suppose I should. He could come for Steven's birthday, if you like."

"That would be lovely. We'd be delighted for you to attend as well."

"Well, I… don't go in for parties much. I'd do better to drop Jack off and come back for him."

"Steven will be disappointed if he doesn't get to see you."

The Doctor felt severe misgivings being communicated between his hearts. "I don't know—I might stop in long enough to see him," he said cautiously.

Jack walked through the doorway from the living room. "Any cake left?" he asked with a smile.

"Sure, I'll get it," Steven offered.

"I love a good volunteer," Jack told him. He pulled out the chair at the end of the table and sat.

"We were talking about when you could come again," Alice said. "Maybe for Steven's birthday?"

"That would be great, if the Doctor doesn't mind," Jack answered.

The Doctor agreed. "I don't, but I'm not sure how long this arrangement will work."

"Oh, don't worry," said Jack. "See, since the last time you saw me, Alice contacted me. It's way in her future now, but we will get on track with our timelines eventually."

"Okay, that's good," the Doctor answered. It was nice to know that the seething mass of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff would be a little less turbulent later.

* * *

The Doctor tried to hide in the shadows when it came time to say goodbye, but Steven dragged him out and he was soundly hugged by both Carters.

Jack smiled at the scene, wishing he could record it and keep it around to watch during the next two years while waiting for the Doctor to come back for him.

"Come back soon," Steven said before the Doctor closed the Tardis door.

"Okay then," the Doctor said briskly. "Back we go."

Jack leaned on one of the Tardis's curved supports. "Thank you," he said.

The Doctor glanced at him briefly before returning his attention to his ship's controls. "That's all right."

Jack knew they wouldn't discuss the visit any more if the Doctor had his way. Best to leave it. "I need to tell you something," he said slowly, "but I can't tell you everything."

"Another case of things happening out of order?"

"Yeah. Or not happening at all. It's about the Master."

The Doctor didn't seem to react. "What about him?"

"He has a ring. It needs to go back. To where we picked him up. It needs to stay in that time, near that place."

"What for?"

"That's the part I can't tell you."

Jack tried to keep his expression blank when the Doctor looked up at him, but it wasn't easy.

"Something big is supposed to happen. Something involving the Master," the Doctor guessed. And the ring… it's something he left behind, on purpose. But what could he have planned for after he died?"

"Don't try to figure it out," Jack said. "If you do you might not have the metal to get through it."

"So it's really bad."

"You're still trying to figure it out."

"People die," the Doctor concluded. "Do I die?"

Jack turned away. "I can't let you run through the list of all the people you know to see if I react when you ask if they die."

"No… of course not, but…"

"A lot goes wrong," Jack conceded. "But if you don't let it happen, some important things will be upset. You'll never understand the drumming. And if you wake him up one day, he won't understand it either. It'll be a big mess."

There was a long silence. Jack realized that even the Tardis was quiet.

"Jack, look at me."

Reluctant, but won over by his trust in the Doctor, Jack turned back toward his friend.

"You're sure—the ring has to go back?"

"Yes. I've been thinking about this for a long time. Ever since we took the Master's body. I don't think there's any other way."

"All right, then. We landed a minute ago. If you'll fetch the ring for me, I'll take it back."

"Wow… that was a soft landing," Jack remarked, distracted.

"I think the Tardis is getting used to progressing two years down your timeline. Still doesn't like carrying you, but it's getting to know the routine."

"Do you want me to go with you when you take it back?"

The Doctor shook his head. "I'll be fine. Thanks."

* * *

It wasn't difficult to plant the ring in a place not too hard to find—for someone looking for it. The Doctor was tempted to stay around to see who would come for it. He had his suspicions, but Jack's words and tone had made him well aware that he couldn't risk changing anything else in this time and place.

He walked back to the Tardis, thinking vaguely to himself, "I could do with some chocolate."

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed. Feel free to comment on specific parts, tell me if people are getting too out of character or if you liked a certain thing, etc.  
_


	21. Birthday

_Thanks for reviewing. :) I was wondering if Alice and Steven's involvement was working. To be honest, I didn't plan on making them a very big part of the story when I started. That's what happens though-characters take over. Enjoy this next chapter.  
_

* * *

"Back in Cardiff," the Doctor said with satisfaction. "And at the old base. How does it feel?"

"Less like home than it should," Jack said, looking around. "We couldn't get everything exactly the same after that explosion. And the pterodactyl is gone for good."

"I imagine your current team feels very different, too."

"Well, yeah. Two Americans on board. I got used to having all Brits when I was here before." Jack leaned back in his chair and looked at the ceiling. "Sixteen more years. It's gotten so I look forward to the next two-year visit as much as I do the thirty years being up. Maybe because it seems like that will never come."

"Do you see Alice much?" the Doctor asked, hoping to redirect the topic.

"Quite a bit now. Steven's in university.

"No! Really?"

"They've offered him a position teaching physics. You should take credit—you inspired him."

The Doctor couldn't help feeling proud. "That's brilliant. And… does he know now? That he died and all?"

"Yes. You and I are going to go back and Alice and I will tell him. Not this time around, though. This is a birthday visit."

"Right. Which birthday are we going to?"

"He'll be thirteen. I wanted to get him a gun, but… something tells me Alice wouldn't approve."

"Civilians can't have guns in the UK anyway," the Doctor reminded him.

"Sure. But he's a soldier."

"Jack."

"Right. I know." Jack smiled. "You think he'd like a boomerang?"

* * *

The party was lovely. Steven's little friends enjoyed the games and stuffed themselves on cake, Aunt Sarah helped ferry them home afterwards, Steven got to spend time with Jack—the two of them promising not to aim his new slingshot at anything living.

Alice sighed and leaned back in her lounge chair, enjoying the peace of the warm evening. The day had been nearly perfect.

"You look like you've had a long day. Can I get you anything?"

Alice's eyes flew open. "Doctor!" She got up and put herself in his waiting embrace. "Dad said you weren't coming."

"Well… I wasn't. But you know, then I… got thinking about cake."

She laughed. "Come on in and I'll get you a slice before Steven realizes you're here. He and Dad are in the garden. Is it true you were the instigator of the purchase of that instrument of destruction?"

"What?" the Doctor asked, momentarily bewildered. Then, realizing, he said, "Oh, the slingshot? It was that or the boomerang—you should be thanking me."

"Oh. Yes, I suppose I should. Would you like tea?"

"Yes, please." The Doctor followed Alice through the front door and into the kitchen.

There were still birthday decorations everywhere, but the room hadn't changed much since his last visit.

"I keep meaning to repaper these walls," Alice said, glancing around as she fetched cups and saucers, hoping the children hadn't left any glaring messes anywhere.

"I like the weathered look," the Doctor commented.

"Oh, that's excellent—I'll never make home improvements again." She smiled. The Doctor seemed to be preoccupied. At least, his expression did not mirror her lightheartedness. She tried to remember what had made him smile the last time she'd seen him. "How have you been?" she asked, putting the kettle on the stove.

"Oh… all right," the Doctor said in a tone that was almost upbeat.

"Have things been working out for you?"

"Well…" He turned his saucer over in his hands. "Not exactly as I'd planned," he admitted.

"I'm sorry to hear that. What have you been doing, if I may ask?"

He put the saucer back on the table and took to studying his cup. "Had a mad Easter. Helped a wanted criminal escape. Visited Mars," he said casually.

"Mars! Fancy that. In what year?"

"A few decades in the future."

"Are people living there, then?"

He nodded, not reflecting any excitement whatsoever.

Alice didn't know how to continue the conversation. She got out the remaining half of the birthday cake and cut a generous slice for the Doctor and a tiny one for herself.

"I met some people," the Doctor said slowly. "Wonderful people. But they… they all died. I couldn't help them. I wasn't _meant_ to help them."

Alice set the cake on the table and put a hand on the Doctor's shoulder. She wasn't sure it was the right thing to do, since the Doctor wasn't human and might have very different customs, but this wasn't the time to ask. It must have been all right; the Doctor reached up to put one hand over hers as he continued to gaze at the table.

"The truth is…"

She held her breath. He was speaking so softly, she could barely hear him. She wondered if he was even talking to her now.

"…I don't know what I'm doing anymore," he finished.

She didn't exactly mean to, but Alice found herself putting her arm around him and kissing the top of his head. "Everything will be all right," she told him.

He didn't feel rigid, as she'd expected him to, but other than tightening his hand on hers slightly, he didn't seem to react.

They heard the back door open and close. Alice straightened until she was standing behind the Doctor with her hands on his shoulders. She looked back in time to see Jack and Steven appear in the doorway.

Jack took one look and steered Steven back the way they had come.

"Oh, come off it, you two!" Alice exclaimed. "You can come in."

They reappeared, Jack smiling uncertainly, Steven all curiosity.

The Doctor got to his feet and greeted Steven. "Happy birthday, young man. You're growing right up, aren't you?"

"Thank you," Steven said. "Look what Uncle Jack gave me."

"Yes, I… sort of helped him pick it out."

"Great. I'm going to get really good with it. Uncle Jack can hit the old birdhouse every time from fifty feet."

"We weren't fifty feet away," Jack said, grinning.

"You were shooting at the birdhouse?" Alice asked disapprovingly.

"We broke it by accident and then since it was already broken it seemed like a good target," Jack explained.

"It was my fault," Steven put in. "But there weren't any birds living in it anyway."

Alice sighed. "And now there never will be…"

The kettle boiled. The soldiers sat—with rather sheepish expressions—and Alice served them tea.

"May I have some cake?" Steven asked, eying the Doctor's half-eaten slice.

"I think you've had enough, love." Alice said. "There's plenty left for tomorrow, though."

Steven sighed and leaned on the table.

"Don't sulk," Jack told him. "It's very unfitting for a soldier."

Steven sat up again, smiling slightly. "Will you come for Christmas again this year?"

Jack glanced at the Doctor. "I don't know yet. We'll see."

The Doctor took one last bite of his cake and surreptitiously slid his plate over to Steven.

"Doctor…" Alice said disapprovingly.

"It's really good," the Doctor said quickly. "Only I'm full."

Jack smirked, but he kept any smart remarks to himself for a change. When they had finished their tea, he got to his feet. "Well, come on Steven—time to give the troops their final instructions for while I'm gone."

Steven grinned and followed Jack to the front door.

"I'll be right out," the Doctor said. He helped Alice clear the tea things from the table.

"I wish you could have been here for the party," Alice said. "You will bring Jack back for Christmas, won't you?"

The Doctor still seemed distant. His expression was blank and seemed impossible to read. Finally, he answered.

"Yes; I'll bring him if you want me to."

"Thank you." She paused. "Will you stay with us again?"

"I don't… I don't know if I can."

She kept her hands busy stoppering the sink and running some hot water to wash the dishes in. She wondered why the Doctor was so hesitant. He had told her he'd had an unpleasant experience, but in his place, she knew she would want to be with friends. She wondered if he knew something about the future that he didn't want to tell her. Something dark and unpleasant. She hated to think of him facing something like that alone.

"Doctor?"

He seemed to be avoiding her gaze, looking toward her, but not _at_ her.

"I wish there were something I could do," she said softly.

For just a moment longer he was soberly quiet; then he gave her a small smile and pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry about me," he said.

She hugged him tightly in return. "Please, come again. And stay a while. It's not good for you to spend so much time alone."

"I'll think about it," he said. Then, "No, I'll plan on it. I can bear up under another Christmas."

Alice laughed, but she wasn't sure he was joking.

* * *

_More soon, I hope. I have a definite direction I'm going, but I'm debating between a couple possible endings to the story. Maybe the characters will take over and decide for me. :p_


	22. Puzzle

_Thanks for reading this far; enjoy chapter 22.  
_

* * *

"How long has it been for you?" Jack asked, enjoying only a brief hug from the Doctor. _He's getting kind of prickly…_

"Only a few days. I've been feeling a sort of urgency to go through these visits more quickly."

Jack nodded. They both knew that the Doctor was headed for a very serious and daunting encounter, but they silently agreed not to discuss it. "Ready for another Christmas?"

The Doctor produced a small gift box from his pocket. "I've got a gift. You?"

"Yeah. I'll grab it and we can go."

The Doctor waited in silence. Jack seemed sort of quiet—like he had a lot on his mind. When he came back, the Doctor asked, "Busy two years?"

"Yes."

"Bad?"

Jack shrugged. "I've had better. Only fourteen left to wait, though."

They entered the Tardis and the Doctor began preparing his ship for the trip back in time.

"I can't tell you what happens," the Doctor said slowly, "but I don't see any harm in giving you something to look forward to."

Jack instantly perked up. "Yes?" he asked.

"At some point during that adventure… ask me to dance with you."

The difference between Jack's current expression and the one he'd worn just moments before was striking. He looked happier than the Doctor had seen him in a long time.

"Don't jump to conclusions," the Doctor warned. "Just… just ask."

"Okay…" Jack smiled. "Is it a good dance?"

"No details," the Doctor said firmly.

Jack's smile grew. "Oh, the suspense is going to kill me!"

The Doctor shot him a dry look. "Don't worry. You'll come back to life if it does."

"Yeah, yeah."

* * *

Jack led the way to the cottage door. The Doctor reflected that his mood was completely different from the first time they had come here together. He was much more upbeat and confident.

Alice greeted Jack warmly, then stepped back to let him pass into the house. "Doctor, it's good to see you," she said. "You'll stay, won't you?"

The Doctor shuffled to the doorway through snow-dusted grass. "Seems as if I recall saying I would," he said. He wiped his shoes on the mat and Alice helped him off with his coat.

Once the coat was hung up, Alice gave the Doctor a tight hug. "How have you been?" she asked quietly.

"Fine," he answered. No need to mention that hardly any time had passed for him or about the trouble he knew he'd be facing. He could hear Jack and Steven talking about the Christmas tree in the next room. The smell of cooking and evergreen gave him déjà vu.

"We've missed you," Alice said, letting him go.

"Is Aunt Sarah coming?" the Doctor asked lightly.

"No—she's staying with her late husband's family this year."

The Doctor managed not to look too happy about this news.

"Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Love one."

* * *

The Doctor charged up Steven's sonic screwdriver with his own.

"Thanks," Steven said. "Batteries that small don't last very long after the power cell's worn down."

"What on earth have you been doing with it? It should have lasted you years."

"I've added new settings. It'll turn Philips screws as well as slot-heads now, and now it's charged I think it'll turn the locks on our bedroom doors."

"Nice," Jack said with a grin.

Knowing that Jack was thinking of all the reasons you'd want to unlock a bedroom door from the outside, the Doctor said, "Let's go test it."

They kept busy with their screwdrivers until Alice came to remind them it was late.

"Father Christmas won't come if you lot are up all night."

Steven rolled his eyes. "Right, mum. Father Christmas is already here. You should have told me the sleigh was blue and shaped like a box."

Alice laughed and the Doctor gave a small smile.

"Blast it, you've figured it out," the Doctor said. "You won't tell anyone the reindeer aren't real, will you?"

"Your secret's safe with me. But how d'you stay so thin if you eat all those cookies?"

"Oh, that's easy. I store them all away on the Tardis and eat them at my leisure. I am a time traveler, after all."

Steven grinned. "That explains how you can leave presents for all the kids in the world in one night, too."

"Precisely."

"Bedtime," Alice reminded them.

"Okay," they said together.

* * *

"I bet it's an ipod," the Doctor said of Jack's gift to Steven.

Steven grinned as he pulled back the paper and opened the box. "Oh, wicked! It's binoculars," he said, holding them up so the others could see.

"They have a night vision setting," Jack told him.

Alice heaved an exaggerated sigh of relief. "I was sure it'd be a gun or something."

"Maybe next year," Jack said, winking at her.

Steven took out the knife Jack had given him the year before and cut open the packaging. Soon he was looking at everyone through the binoculars. "Uncle Jack, is that a grey hair?"

"Hey, cut it out," Jack said, grinning.

"Why don't you open your present from the Doctor?" Alice suggested.

"Oh, mine's nothing… nothing special," the Doctor said.

"Probably a football," Jack said as Steven opened the tiny box.

Alice leaned forward, trying to see better. "What is it?"

"Not sure. It's got some sort of combination." Steven turned the small metal object in his hands.

"Sort of a brain teaser," the Doctor explained. "If you line up all the components correctly, it comes apart."

"Cool," said Steven.

The Doctor shrugged. "Nothing special," he repeated.

"Well, let's get this paper up," Alice said, standing. "Jack, would you give me a hand?"

Jack helped Alice gather the empty boxes and scraps of wrapping paper. When they left to dispose of the mess, the Doctor went to crouch on the floor beside Steven.

"The puzzle is actually a transmitter," he said quickly, knowing he didn't have much time. "Once it's complete, it will send a signal to the Tardis—a distress signal. So if you're ever in trouble, you can get word to me. But it will work only once."

"So I'm not meant to solve the puzzle unless we're really in danger," Steven said.

"Well—you could get it mostly solved. But yes, save it in case you really need it. I hope you never do, but I wanted to leave you with a way to contact me, just in case."

Steven set the puzzle down and hugged the Doctor.

"Are you coming back?" he asked, his voice strained.

The Doctor remembered what Jack had told him. "At least once more," he said. "I promise." He gave Steven a quick squeeze.

"Can't you stay? It's brilliant when you're here. And Mum really likes you."

"Sorry, but I can't."

Steven sighed. "I had to try."

* * *

"I'm not sure exactly when we'll come next," the Doctor told Alice when they were preparing to leave. "It might be longer this time."

"Long as you're coming, we can wait. A couple more years and I can get in touch with Dad in our coinciding timelines."

The Doctor smiled. It was good that Alice was becoming knowledgeable on time travel. If it weren't for the trouble he knew he would have to face soon, he might have asked her to travel with him. But of course she had Steven to look after, and he didn't like the idea of having a kid in the Tardis, even if that kid was brilliant and quite mature.

"It's been a pleasure, Alice. You got the best of your Dad. And something else nice that must have come from your mum." He winked.

Alice laughed in return. "Thank you. Will we see more of you later on—will you be with him?"

"Well… you can certainly get news of me from him. I doubt we'll meet often."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Oh, you'll get along fine. Steven's got a bright future ahead of him."

"Thanks to you. I can never repay you for giving him back to me."

The Doctor glanced over at Jack and Steven, who were throwing wet snowballs at each other as quickly as they could form them. "I think I've been very well repaid."

* * *

"Any interest in hanging around a while?" Jack asked without much hope of a positive answer.

They were walking slowly down the sidewalk near the Tardis. The day was calm and warm, but overcast.

"Maybe next time," the Doctor answered. "And speaking of next time, I think next time will be the last time that we go back to see Alice and Steven. So you'll have to tell him."

Jack knew the Doctor meant it was time for Steven to know that he had died and come back to life. "The last? I only get one more visit to his childhood?"

"I'm not going to argue."

"All right, fine. But can we stay more than overnight this time?"

"We'll see."

They meandered back to the Tardis and the Doctor gave Jack a very quick hug.

"Hey," Jack protested as the Doctor opened the door.

The Doctor turned back toward him. He obviously wanted to get going.

"I'm going to miss you," Jack said. _Lame understatement of the two-year period…_

"I know. But I'll see you in two years. Good luck, Jack."

That was it. There would be no more discussion. Jack put his hands in his pockets. "Good luck, Doctor."

* * *

_I'm not 100% sure of all the plot twists, but I am pretty sure how this will end, so we'll get there eventually. Hope it's holding interest. :p  
_


	23. Heartbreak

_Thanks for the reviews, people. :) Sorry this chapter took so long. Enjoy.  
_

* * *

For once, Jack seemed reluctant to go back to see his family. The Doctor knew he didn't want to tell Steven what had happened, but he also knew that it would turn out all right.

The Doctor stayed in the Tardis and waited for Jack to get back. He put _Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban _on the viewing screen, but he didn't really pay attention to it. He tinkered with the Tardis, though it didn't really need tinkering, and paused now and then to stare at the movie without taking in what was going on.

Finally, when the credits were rolling, there was a quiet knock on the door. Jack came in without waiting for the Doctor to answer.

"Well—everything all right?" the Doctor asked.

"Yeah. Sorry to keep you waiting." Jack looked tired, but his mood seemed fairly positive. "He wants to see you."

The Doctor directed his sonic screwdriver at the viewing screen and it went back to its usual view of the exterior. "Let's just go."

Jack was silent a moment. "He said you promised him."

_Damn, I did, didn't I?_ He sighed. "All right. I'm coming."

* * *

"You didn't just save my life," Steven said. "You gave it back." He was fifteen now, but he sounded like an adult to the Doctor.

"Couldn't have managed without the nanogenes," the Doctor said modestly. He leaned on the garden fence and looked into the neighbor's yard at the dog that Steven had defended years back. The dog was old, and scarcely barked at anyone anymore.

"I never understood what happened; how Uncle Jack stopped the Four Five Six… He's not my uncle, is he?"

"What makes you say that?"

"The way he time travels round with you, and how he knows so much about other times, and how he doesn't seem to get older. Are the two of you aliens?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Jack's human. You're right, though: He's not your uncle."

"You're alien, though."

"It's a bit hard to hide after a while. Anyway, I never said I was human."

Steven nodded. "That's why I suspected. You wouldn't lie, but you don't tell everything. Who is Jack, then?"

At this point, honesty was definitely the best policy. "He's your granddad."

After a moment, Steven said, "I thought he was from the future."

"Yes… but he went back in time and met your grandmother. To protect you and keep from confusing you, your mum called him your uncle. It worked fairly well. But you're old enough now that you can handle the truth all right, I think." The Doctor glanced at Steven before looking away again. "You should know that when Jack spent time with you and showed you affection, he wasn't pretending. That was real."

"I know."

"Does it make you angry? All the things that happened?"

"A bit. Sort of. I think I'm lucky, though. I'm really glad I got to meet you. And I think he did the right thing in the end. All those kids would have been kidnapped by aliens and attached to them like Siamese twins. I think if I had to choose, I'd die to stop that happening."

The Doctor closed his eyes for a moment. He felt both extremely peaceful and extremely torn—both proud of Steven for his selfless attitude and guilty for allowing things to happen as they had. He put his hand on Steven's shoulder. "Do one thing for me, will you? Stay busy. With a good man like you hard at work, the earth can't go too far wrong."

Steven smiled. "Will you stay for a while?"

"I suppose I could spare a day or two."

"And after that—will you come again?"

"I don't know." The Doctor pushed off the fence and walked slowly back toward the house. "A lot is probably going to change for me soon. I can't plan on anything, really."

Steven fell into step with him. "I hope you do. But I'll keep busy, like you said."

* * *

Alice seemed to know that the Doctor's future was weighing heavily on his mind. He did his best to be cheerful and hide his worries, but he knew he couldn't fool her all the time.

On the morning that he and Jack planned to leave, Alice asked the Doctor if he'd take a walk with her. He hesitated, trying to think of an excuse not to. But in the end, he couldn't bring himself to turn her down. He might never see her again.

"Spring," Alice said, taking in a deep breath. "Spring and autumn smell the best."

"Spring is excellent," the Doctor agreed. "Even on earth," he added.

Alice took his hand as they walked down the lane. "Do you celebrate the changing seasons back home? You told me once that you have a holiday for the planet."

"Yes. There are lots of other holidays I didn't mention. Some people celebrate more than others."

"What's the friendship one you said you liked?"

The Doctor smiled. "I guess it's a bit like May Day or something… You go to a friend's house and present him with a gift. Then he's got to stay with you until he's given you a similar gift back. Sometimes kids pick flowers for each other and it's a big rush to get free of the bother of staying together, but lovers often refuse to give their gift for hours and hours… so they can stay close, you know."

Alice grinned at the description. "It sounds lovely. Did you give a lot of gifts?"

"Made a nuisance of myself. My mum loved it when I brought her things, but some people got pretty fed up with me. I'd try to think of really awkward things to give, so they'd have a hard time giving something similar back."

"Like what?"

"Oh…" the Doctor shrugged. "Insects… single socks… candles. Masculine items to girls, feminine items to boys. It was all very fun."

"It sounds like it. Steven would like that. Maybe we could start a Friendship Day in our community here."

"That'd be nice."

"You should come. Help introduce your day to our planet." When he didn't answer, she went on, "Steven says he thinks you won't come back. That we'll never see you again."

"I don't know," the Doctor said quietly. "I know it's not fair, but I can't tell you what you want to hear. Things are going to change soon, and even I have no idea how much. I'm sorry."

She squeezed his hand. "I've felt so safe, thinking things would go on this way; knowing you were looking after us. If you're worried about the future, how terrified do you think that makes me?"

He stopped walking and turned toward her. "I wish I could say something helpful, or at least clever," he said. "I'm sorry. I am so sorry. All I can do is ask you to go on being strong." He saw that her eyes were getting moist and he hated knowing it was his fault.

He hugged her firmly when she put her arms around him and didn't protest when she kissed his cheek.

"Please be careful, Doctor. Come back if you can—let us know somehow that you're all right."

He nodded against her head. "If I can. But Alice… if I can't come back, be sure you look after Jack. Don't go too long without visiting. He needs you."

She tightened her grasp and was silent a while. Then she let go and brushed her eyes with one hand. "Let's head back."

"All right." The Doctor passed her his handkerchief and linked his arm through hers for the walk back to the house.

* * *

He hung back while the others said goodbye. He knew Jack was reluctant to leave, but he was reluctant to stay. It seemed far too long before Jack turned back toward him.

The Doctor turned to walk with Jack back to the Tardis.

"Doctor," Alice called.

He had hoped she wouldn't try to stop him, but he couldn't ignore her. He went back to her and was immediately captured in an embrace.

"Please, please be careful," Alice said. "Be well and happy."

The Doctor steeled himself against the stinging at the bottom of his eyes. He held her firmly and didn't bother trying to think of anything clever to say.

"I love you," Alice said softly.

He closed his eyes in sadness and the tears escaped. He moved his hand to the back of her head. "I'm sorry," he whispered. Then he kissed her temple and turned quickly away.

When they were inside the Tardis, the Doctor saw that Alice and Steven were standing together, each with an arm around the other. He looked away from the viewing screen and concentrated on his instruments.

"You bastard," Jack said.

"What?"

"You broke her heart."

The Doctor looked at Jack uncertainly. "I don't know about that. And I certainly didn't mean to."

Jack ignored his statements. "In a few months Alice will contact me. Things are fine, but she seems very unhappy about something and won't tell me what it is. Now I understand. She was in love with you."

"Nonsense."

"No, I'm sure of it. She had all the signs of someone in love with the elusive Doctor."

"How do you—" the Doctor started. Then he remembered whom he was talking to… too late.

"How do I know? Are you that blind?"

The Doctor sighed. "I'm sorry," he said meekly.

"Me too," Jack said, shaking his head. "I shouldn't give you such a hard time."

"I just can't give everyone what they want."

"I know."

The Tardis came to rest and fell silent.

"Here we are," the Doctor said. _I don't want to part like this. But I've dawdled too long._

"Walk me back to HQ?"

"All right."

He knew they were both in denial, but he couldn't rush off.

When they reached the Torchwood entrance an SUV pulled up behind them.

"Jack, welcome back," someone called as he got out of the vehicle.

"Thanks," Jack said, putting on a cheerful expression. "Don't forget to lock up this time."

The newcomer rolled his eyes and pointed a remote at the SUV. It chirped twice.

"That's handy," the Doctor commented.

"Yeah, you need one for the Tardis," Jack replied. "This is Dezzie, my new profiler. Dez, meet the Doctor."

Dezzie grinned and shook the Doctor's hand. "Pleased to meet you. How long were you gone, Cap?"

"About three days."

"'Bout one day for us," Dezzie replied. "You didn't miss much… but Maci will have some stuff for you to look at."

"You'd better go," the Doctor said.

Jack nodded reluctantly. He hugged the Doctor briefly, probably because of their audience. "If you ever decide to go back to see me for some reason," he said carefully, "the time right after the Four Five Six when I was spending a lot of time in space station bars would be a good choice."

"I'll keep it in mind."

"See you in two years?"

Not at all sure whether he could keep a promise, the Doctor answered, "I'll do my best."

* * *

"Why didn't you kiss him goodbye?" Dezzie asked on the way inside.

"Because we're friends and I want to keep it that way," Jack answered tonelessly.

"You do, or he does?"

Jack turned toward Dezzie with an annoyed glare. "Not that it's any of your business, but what I meant was: He'd quit being my friend if I pulled a stunt like that on him. Get me? What have the others been telling you, anyway?"

"Just that they know nothing about him but whenever you talk about him you sound like you're in love."

"In other words, nothing I need to worry about," Jack concluded. He pushed the Doctor from his mind and opened the control room door.

* * *

_Again, sorry for the delay. Lots of RL stuff going on-and sketchy internet. Please feel free to comment on the chapter.  
_


	24. Den

_Sorry it's been a while, but I hope the length of this chapter makes up for it. Enjoy. ^^  
_

* * *

"The queen," Jack repeated. "Like, the Queen of England queen."

"That's the one."

"Queen Elizabeth, like the 'Virgin Queen.'"

"Yes."

"What came over you—and more importantly, how did you get away with it?"

"That's not all," the Doctor boasted. "I took your advice and got one of those remote-locking systems for the Tardis."

"You didn't."

The Doctor produced his remote from a pocket and pointed it at the Tardis, smirking when the blue box chirped at him in synchronization with the light on top blinking.

Jack laughed aloud. "That's great."

"Isn't it?"

"Now, why the hell haven't you gone back where you're supposed to?"

The Doctor sobered. "Well… I suppose it's because… I can go anytime."

"No; you really need to take care of this."

"Never mind. Let me deal with it my own way. I met Dezzie last time, right? Who else have you got?"

Jack allowed himself to be distracted. "Maci is my computer guru. Martin's networking and designated runner. Jane is our doctor."

"And what does Dezzie do—coffee?"

"That and weapons. An attractive combination, in my opinion."

"Do you fancy him?"

"He's growing on me."

"He fancies you?"

"Apparently so. Did you actually notice when you met him?"

The Doctor allowed a small smile. "I'm getting a bit better at noticing these things."

"Hallelujah," Jack cried. "It's a miracle!"

"Oh, stop. I'm noticing them about other people… I still can't tell half the time when someone fancies me."

"That's because you don't care. It doesn't affect you, or you're determined not to let it."

The Doctor turned to walk slowly toward the hub. "How's Alice?"

"Doing all right. She wrote a book about single parenting. It did very well. She's planning a sequel about the single parent dealing with dating."

"The parent dating, or the child?"

"Both."

"Oh." They walked in silence until they reached the camouflaged square of sidewalk. "So… has Alice been seeing someone?"

Jack shot the Doctor a hard look. "Off and on," he said. "Not that it's any of your business."

"I just… she's all right, then?"

He couldn't stay stern when he saw the Doctor's expression. Even as Jack blamed the Doctor for a large portion of his daughter's unhappiness, he still saw a great deal of innocence in his friend. "She's all right," he said stiffly. "She still asks about you once in a while—wants to know if you've come back."

"I suppose it's best that she doesn't know until I'm gone again?"

"Yeah, I think that's best."

They stepped onto the camouflaged lift and rode it down into the Torchwood headquarters.

"Look who it is," Dezzie greeted them. "Does he drink coffee?"

"I'd have a cup," the Doctor said. He looked around the room. "You must be Martin," he said, identifying the other male in the room.

"That's right." Martin crossed the room and shook the Doctor's hand. "That's Jane fiddling with the alien tentacle, and Maci's at the computer there."

The Doctor watched Jane's careful dissection a moment before saying, "Why did you decide to come to the UK when you finished medical school?"

Jane looked up, surprise showing behind her goggles. "Has Jack been telling you our life stories?" she asked.

"No. But one look at Maci's clothes told me that she was British. Jack told me he had two Americans on his team, and I just heard Martin's English accent. So that leaves you."

Jane shot a look at Jack. "Your friend's a regular Sherlock Holmes. I assume this is the famous Doctor?"

"That's right," Jack answered. "He won't stay more than a couple of days, but I'd like for him to stay informed of what goes on around here."

"Is he a fast runner?" Martin asked with a smirk.

"Martin's our track star," Jack explained, "so he often gets elected to run down quarry."

"Faster than you?" the Doctor asked patronizingly.

"Well… he can keep up with me, I'll say that much."

"Always so modest."

* * *

The Doctor did his best to stay out of the team's way while they conducted their business, but he couldn't help expressing his judgment at times. He could tell that Jack valued his opinion, even when he disagreed with it. It was inevitable, though, that a debate would arise eventually.

"They're just refugees," Jane said of the be-tentacled aliens they'd been studying. "They need help."

"Earth doesn't have the resources to share, and humans aren't ready for new sentient life," Jack argued. "They need to be shipped out or annihilated."

"Shipped out where?" asked Maci. "The closest systems we know about can't support this sort of life."

"So annihilation would be for their own good," Dezzie concluded.

"WHAT?" the Doctor exclaimed.

Everyone turned toward him.

"Am I the only one who sees an ethical issue here?" the Doctor demanded, looking at each Torchwood member in turn.

Martin looked at the floor. "I don't like the idea of killing things, either. But Maci's algorithm projected extinction of dozens of marine species if we allow these Tetrapi things to take root in our oceans. Maybe hundreds. If we let them start changing the ecosystem, it could mean the end of the world as we know it—possibly the end of many fish markets and so forth. The effect on the economy could be catastrophic. Ending the lives of a dozen invaders could save the lives of hundreds of humans and thousands of animals. We have to weigh the consequences."

"Invaders? You've talked with them. They're peaceful. They just want a place to live for a while."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "A while? And then what? Their mode of transport was destroyed when they splashed down in the Channel. We certainly don't have any way of sending them anywhere, even if we did know of a system that could support them." He hardened his look. "Unless _someone_ who happened to have a machine that could go anywhere in space…"

"So, we're copping out?" Dezzie asked. "We're relying on deus ex machina to take away the problem?"

"Relying on what?" Martin interjected.

"Deus ex machina—god of the machine," Maci interpreted. "It's from the ancient days of Greek tragedy. When the playwright couldn't think of a plausible way to get the hero out of trouble, he'd write in directions for the gods to come down by way of a mechanically lowered platform to deal judgment and save the day."

Jack continued to eye the Doctor, a half-smile sneaking up onto his face.

"Shut up," the Doctor said to the snide comment he knew was on the tip of Jack's tongue.

"However much the captain praises you, you're no god," Maci bluntly directed toward the Doctor. "But I suppose you might know a good place to send the Tetrapi, and you might have a way to get them there. So, what the hell—I'm all for deus ex machina, if it gets them off our hands."

"Wasn't Torchwood started so that Earth _wouldn't_ need the Doctor's help?" Dezzie put in.

"Actually, it was founded to defend Earth _from _the Doctor," Jack replied. "Because a certain queen was so fed up with him and probably intimidated by him that she decided all alien life was an evil threat."

The Doctor smiled sarcastically. "And you followed right in her footsteps. She'd be so proud."

"You know that's not true."

"But look at you—this isn't a whaling boat adrift: we don't need to sit around discussing whom to eat next. It's not always them/us."

"You're not one of us anyway," Dezzie pointed out. "It's not your job to decide what's best for humans."

"Then let me speak on behalf of the Tetrapi… why d'you call them that, anyway? Haven't they got a name for themselves?"

"We can't pronounce it," Martin admitted. "They've got four tentacles, so…"

"I think it's about time I talked to one of these things."

The operatives exchanged looks.

"I've tried to turn Torchwood into an organization that can defend the planet in the Doctor's absence," Jack declared at last. "Since he's here, I think he's a resource we can't afford to ignore. Let's give him a chance."

"Sounds reasonable," said Jane.

Maci nodded. "I'm in."

After a moment, Dezzie turned and walked away toward the armory.

"Guess that's that," Martin said grimly. "Let's go fishing."

The Doctor listened to the team's explanation of their tracking methods and tried to seem involved when Martin and Jane discussed their previous experience with the Tetrapi, but he could hardly contain his impatience as Jack guided the skiff toward the middle of Cardiff Bay. At last, Jack steadied the boat and set the oars along its sides, careful not to get any of the three passengers wet in the process.

"Here's how we signal them," Martin explained, holding up a small electronic device which looked like nothing more than a black transistor radio with a dozen buttons. He flicked a switch on the side and the box emitted a rolling, high-pitched sound.

The Doctor narrowed his eyes as he tried to understand the signal. It had a definite inviting feel, though it didn't sound particularly pleasing.

"Maci's been putting together all sorts of these signals," Martin went on. "She's trying to find sounds and other transmissions that we can use to communicate with various species. We're almost fluent in dolphin now, for all the good it does us."

"Really?" asked the Doctor, momentarily distracted. "And are they very conversational?"

"Yes. But they're not as smart as everyone makes out," Jane said with a smirk.

"Oh, be fair," said Martin. "Maci thinks half of what makes them sound so drunken all the time is that they're not used to sentence structure…"

"Here they come," Jack interrupted.

The water around the boat had become very choppy, with numerous bubbles rising to the surface. Soon, many long, snake-like tentacles were gripping the boat's sides, and a few shadowy heads appeared not far off.

"Just stay calm," Jack instructed. "So far, they haven't tried to hurt any of us. Martin, tell them we brought a new friend for them to meet."

Martin busied himself with the radio's buttons, and short spurts of the same rolling noise met their ears.

To the Doctor it seemed like a credible language, but it wasn't one that the Tardis could help him understand. He got a vague sensation that the sounds were meant to be words that meant something like "Here we are again, and one more of the same."

Then the Tetrapus closest to the boat spoke: "We see your new friend. What do you want from us?"

"What's it saying?" Jack asked Martin.

"She said they see me and she wants to know what we want," the Doctor said.

Martin looked sharply at the Doctor. "How did you…"

Jack held up a hand for quiet.

"I wanted to meet you," the Doctor told the Tetrapus. "These are humans—what are you lot called?"

"Blimey, he sounds just like them," Martin whispered.

"We are the Hiding," it answered.

"She says they're called the Shweghthikt," reported the Doctor. "I don't see why you had trouble pronouncing that."

The others exchanged looks.

"They tell me your craft was destroyed when you landed on this planet—lucky you landed in water, eh?"

"We could live on land, but we have determined the water safer. We stay at the bottom of the bay during the day and no one troubles us."

"I see. That's clever. But if you're here, you being the clever hunters that you are, you're going to take away the food for a lot of Earth's species, and humans too."

"On our home planet, we were the ones in danger of extinction. Earth is a good place for us to grow strong again."

The Doctor shook his head. "I know a couple of planets without intelligent life. I can take you to one of them and you can start again there."

"Are you following this?" Jack asked Martin.

"Trying. They're talking too fast."

"I've just told them I can take them somewhere else," said the Doctor.

"We have no way to get off this planet," said the Tetrapus.

"I have a spaceship that can transport you. If you're all right on land, there will be no problem. Or you can stay in the swimming pool during the trip, if you prefer."

"Please wait."

The Tetrapi sank below the surface.

"What did they say?" asked Jack.

"I think they're talking it over. They seem pretty reasonable."

"How d'you know the language?" asked Martin.

The Doctor shrugged. "I speak everything."

The Tetrapi resurfaced. "We don't know you," said the leader. "How do we know we can trust you?"

"Because, I'm the Healer." The Doctor blinked. "I'm the Healer," he repeated. "Interesting. I like your language."

"Our lives will be in your arms if we enter your ship."

"True. But don't you think it's a risk for me—letting you into my den?" He blinked again. "Did I just say cave when I meant den?" He laughed.

"What's so funny?" asked Jack.

"Well, apparently in Tetrapus, when you say 'home,' it comes out 'den.' And when I tried to say 'den,' it came out 'cave.'"

"Bloody interesting," Jane said dryly, exaggerating her American accent to make her word choice ironic.

"It is a risk for both," the Tetrapus conceded. "Give us a show of your promise to be safe."

The Doctor rubbed his chin. "They want to know I can be trusted. I don't suppose your vouching for me will do any good?"

Jack shook his head. "We haven't developed much rapport with them yet, I'm afraid. Just a mutual agreement not to attack unless attacked."

"Here's an idea," the Doctor said, turning back to the aliens. "I'll take half of you in one trip. Then I'll come back for the rest of you, bringing one back. The one I bring back can report to you whether or not I did as I said."

They talked quietly among themselves for a moment.

"How long will it take?"

"Give me a sea phase… wait, how long is a sea phase?"

"About a five-arm suns."

The Doctor thought this over. _I meant to say a month… five-arm… that's got to be twenty, considering they have four arms. Suns I think I can assume means days…_ "Earth suns?"

"Yes."

"Very good. About a sea phase to come back. That should take care of any startling delays." _Startling? I meant unforeseen. Oh well… this language is fun._

"We agree. Let us choose who will go."

The Doctor turned to the others. "They've agreed. Half of them will go with me, and I'll come back for the rest with one to witness my good behavior."

"You realize if something happens to you and your ship, they'll take their revenge on us?" asked Jane.

"Um… I hadn't thought of that. But don't worry. Nothing will go wrong." He wished Jack would back him up, but his friend was silent. "Don't look at me like that."

* * *

_That's all for now. Please leave feedback if you have something constructive and/or nice to say. ^^  
_


	25. Stungun

_I hope you're enjoying the read. This one's much shorter than the last, but I'll have another chapter up soon.  
_

* * *

"I said there was no intelligent life here, not no predatory life," the Doctor snapped at his tetrapi companions. "Anyway, we've found you a nice den, made it clear to the wild creatures that you're staying and found the place fit for your survival. Now, who's coming back with me?"

The tetrapi looked at each other.

"More than a sea phase has passed," one finally pointed out. "Mother Wise will kill you on sight."

"That's the funny thing about my ship," the Doctor said, unconcerned. "It can go so fast that it can arrive before it left, if I want it to."

"Barnacle arms," scoffed a tetrapus.

"Think what you like. But I can get the ship back before a sea phase has passed for dear old Mother Wise. So, who's coming?"

After a pause, one said, "I will go."

"Good mate—what's your name?"

"Strong Fight."

"Lovely. Swing inside…" The Doctor paused. He had meant to say "hop inside" but the Tetrapi language didn't seem to have the word "hop."

He set the Tardis for Cardiff and ran around the control room making adjustments until the ship came to a halt with a light bump.

To Strong Fight's amazement, the waiting Tetrapi agreed with the Doctor that it had been less than half a sea phase since they left. They all swung aboard the Tardis and settled in for the flight.

"When will you be back?" Jack asked the Doctor, watching the aliens moving from the water to the Tardis under the cover of darkness.

"About two years, I suppose," the Doctor answered.

Jack nodded. The Doctor wondered if he'd decided it wasn't so urgent for him to go take care of his unfinished business, or if he just saw no point in further argument.

"Say goodbye to the team for me. I hope they're still here when I come back."

"So do I. You have no idea what a pain it is to put a new team together."

The Doctor knew Jack would be much more devastated at the loss of his friends than at the prospect of finding a new team, but it went without saying.

The last of the Tetrapi shuffled into the Tardis and the Doctor held out his hand to Jack. "Thank you for giving me the chance to do this."

"Thanks for your help," Jack answered, shaking the Doctor's hand firmly. "Come back safe."

The Doctor gave him a nod and turned away.

The Doctor went back to check on the Tetrapi after a few sea phases and found them thriving. The surrounding wildlife was adjusting to their presence and he was told there were several new eggs in the den. Everything seemed fine.

But the Doctor didn't have that full, self-satisfied feeling he usually got when he finished an adventure. He knew the Ood were calling to him across time and space. He set the Tardis to return to Cardiff two years after he'd appeared there last and stubbornly piloted against his summons.

* * *

When Jack saw the Doctor, he was fairly certain that very little time had passed for his friend. Still, he asked, "Not yet?"

"Not yet," the Doctor answered. They left it at that. "How's your team?"

"Still alive," Jack reported. "Dezzie and I got together for a while, but we're not anymore."

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok. I think we're better friends now. And Maci and I have been going out a little. Not rushing anything."

"Not rushing is a good idea."

Jack shrugged. "Sometimes rushing can be great. Depends on the situation."

"If you say so."

The team welcomed the Doctor's return. Maci could hardly wait to show the Doctor all of the advancements she'd made with salvaged alien technology. Jane had a little terrarium housing a minuscule species she was studying. Martin had built a completely new translating machine based on what they had learned from the Tetrapi and he was testing it on various species that came their way. Even Dezzie seemed less cold than he had the last time the Doctor visited.

"I've been working on a new rifle," Dezzie reported.

"Oh." The Doctor looked as if he thought this was nothing to be proud of.

"You'll like it," Jack encouraged him. "It's a sort of super-intelligent stun gun."

"You fire and the sensors in the gun instantly detect whether or not the target has been incapacitated," Dezzie explained. "If not, it fires off a stronger round. It keeps getting stronger until your target is stunned."

The Doctor looked impressed. "That's not a bad idea. How quickly does it fire?"

"It can get off ten shots per second. That way, you're sure to get it down before it can get to you."

"Incredible. The police could use one of those."

"I want one for my own personal use," Jack said. "But we keep all the alien tech here at the base unless we absolutely need it."

The Doctor tried firing the gun at a plasma screen the team had for the purpose. It was very like a video game. The cartoony image of a Weevil getting stunned was enough to make him roll his eyes at what he was sure was Jack's idea of good humor.

When Jack left the room to look at something Maci had found, the Doctor rested the gun's butt on the floor. "This is good work," he said to Dezzie. "Thanks for showing me. Last time I was here I got the idea you really disliked me."

Dezzie looked at the floor. "I'm sorry about that. I was pretty jealous of you."

"Jealous?" asked the Doctor, mystified.

"I know now that Jack and I don't go together as well as I thought we would. But at the time, it seemed like he'd never give me a chance as long as you were around. You're all he talks about sometimes. And even when he doesn't talk about you for a while, when I look at him I know he's thinking about you."

It was the Doctor's turn to look away uncomfortably. "It's… it's a complicated situation," he said.

"I know. He told me you're not in love with him. I was glad to hear it, but now it makes me feel really sorry for him. He seems so lonely, living so long and everyone he cares about dying—except you."

"It is lonely. No one knows that better than I do."

"Then take him with you now," Dezzie urged. "He's an asset here, but we can manage without him."

The Doctor shook his head. "I've already taken him with me at the end of the thirty years. Things worked out all right, so I'm not rewriting it. Part of the curse of living this long is learning to wait. I know it's hard for him, but he's dealing with it. And he's doing important work here…"

Jack reentered the room so they turned the conversation in another direction. If Jack knew they had been talking about him, he didn't show it.

* * *

It was time to leave again. The Doctor hugged Jane and Maci and shook Dezzie's and Martin's hands before leaving the hub with Jack.

"They're a good lot," Jack declared proudly.

"They are. It's good to know Earth is so well defended in my absence."

Jack wanted to talk more with his friend, but he couldn't remember all the little things he'd meant to tell the Doctor since their last meeting. They walked the rest of the way to the Tardis in silence.

"Until we meet again," the Doctor said quietly.

Jack held out his arms and the Doctor allowed a tight hug. "Take care of yourself, Doctor."

* * *

"We've replaced Jane—it got to be a little too much for her. She's working at a hospital now, and seems happy."

"You wiped her memory, didn't you?"

Jack nodded. "I would have anyway, but she asked me to. We still need a replacement for Dezzie. I'm handling weapons for now."

The Doctor studied Jack's face. "Dezzie… Oh, Jack, I'm sorry. I am so sorry. What happened?"

"I'd rather not tell the whole story. It was just a few months ago."

"Of course." The Doctor watched the sidewalk passing under his feet as they walked. _Dezzie is gone? For me it was just a day or two ago that I spoke with him. He was shaping up to be such a nice guy…_

"The new doctor is Ambrose Collins," Jack said, managing to keep his tone light.

"Oh dear—that leaves Maci the only girl, doesn't it?"

"She's coping all right. I'd like to make it more even, but I doubt I could find a female weapons expert fit for the job…"

"You never know," the Doctor said, thinking of Rose and wondering what she might be doing now. "Are you and Maci still going out?"

"Um… we're going out _again,_ actually. I think it's going a little better this time."

"Yeah? That's good. Say, how many more years is it now—eight?"

"Six," Jack answered instantly. "It doesn't seem so far away now. But it's still going to be hard to wait."

They fell silent and the Doctor found himself remembering the conversation he'd had with Dezzie.

"_He seems so lonely… Take him with you now."_

He'd been so different from the time the Doctor first met him. The coldness was all gone, and he'd been able to see that Dezzie could be caring and empathic. And now Dezzie was gone, in less than two years. A few days to the Doctor.

* * *

Ambrose was three-quarters Irish and had the extrovert personality to go with it.

"I heard a rumor you once lost a hand and grew it back. Is that true?"

The Doctor couldn't help smirking. He held up his right hand. "This one. Lost the previous one in a duel."

"Mind if I have a look?" Ambrose asked, already reaching for the Doctor's hand.

"Help yourself."

Jack watched, holding back a grin with obvious difficulty. Martin and Maci also paused their work to watch the doctor's inspection of the Doctor.

"There doesn't seem to be any scar tissue."

"Course not," the Doctor scoffed. "The regeneration was healing me too quickly for that."

"Hmm." Ambrose turned the Doctor's wrist in his hands. "Well, I'm not sure I believe it."

"That's all right. I can't prove it or anything, so I don't blame you."

"I believe you," Martin offered.

The Doctor smiled at him. "Thanks very much."

It felt almost like old times, and the team was able to distract the Doctor from the Ood's call once again, as well as from Jane's and Dezzie's absence.

* * *

_The 30 years is drawing to a close... what will happen? Okay, you're probably wondering already without my prompting. :p More soon. Don't forget to comment.  
_


	26. Signal

_As promised, this one's done sooner. :)  
_

* * *

The four-years-and-counting visit was much like the one before. Torchwood had lost a member and gained two since the Doctor's previous appearance. Maci had been killed in an exchange with a vigilante group—killed by the aliens she was trying to help. Ambrose hadn't been able to save her.

Jack had found a new weapons technician and, a few months after Maci's demise, a computer genius.

"It is a bit grim," Martin admitted to the Doctor one night. "I'm the only one left that remembers Jane and Dez. Besides Jack, of course. We've accomplished so much, but… it seems like we've lost too much. Like it's not worth it anymore. Three lives instead of hundreds sounds like a good bargain, but when you _know_ those three…"

"I know," the Doctor said solemnly. "Sometimes I think I'd give whole worlds to get back the people I miss so much."

"Could you do that? If you really wanted to?"

"Maybe, if I were very selfish. But it would go wrong. Things like that always do. It's best not to think about it."

They were silent for a while, staring at the dark water of Cardiff Bay.

"Sometimes," Martin said at last, "I imagine I can hear the Tetrapi as if they're still out there. I studied their language a lot, even after they were gone. I wonder if I could speak to them better now."

"I'm sure you could."

"How is it that you speak everything?"

The Doctor thought this question over carefully. "It's a bit difficult to explain," he said at last. "It's a technology of sorts from my people. But it's sort of telepathic. I mean, you've got to have a living Tardis working on your side." He noted Martin's bewildered expression. "Like I said, it's complicated." He laughed apologetically.

After another silence, Martin said, "I don't feel that I've wasted my time here. But I can't help wondering—if all these things and people and…_stuff_ keep coming through the rift—how much more is out there? How many more civilizations and languages and habitable planets are there? Will I live long enough to see many of them? I don't give much for my chances now."

The Doctor stared at him. "Martin, what age are you?"

"Thirty-two. If you don't count Jack, Ambrose and I are the old-timers."

"What's life expectancy?"

"For a Torchwood agent?" Martin laughed dryly. "Three to five years, I guess."

"Hey, you two," Jack called from behind them. "I don't mean to be all mother-hen here, but my agents are no good to me in the field if they don't get their sleep."

"Oh, I'm just your liaison," Martin said carelessly, "and I can talk in my sleep."

"Don't I know it," Jack said with a devious smile.

"Hey!" Martin exclaimed. "Don't listen to him, Doctor. I maintain I'm one of the few that's never been his lover."

"We'll have to stick together," the Doctor told him in a low voice so Jack couldn't hear.

Martin smiled, relaxed once again. "Good night," he said, pushing off the railing and heading down the sidewalk.

"Good night," Jack and the Doctor called after him.

"Jack," the Doctor said, watching their friend's departure, "Martin's all alone."

"What do you mean?" Jack approached the rail and leaned on it next to the Doctor.

"Jane, Dezzie, Maci… they're all gone. He gets on all right with the others, but it's not the same."

"He'll adjust. It's all we can do."

The Doctor turned back toward the bay. "Maybe he's not as strong as you are."

He knew he'd struck a chord then, and his conversation with Dezzie came back to him again.

"…_He seems so lonely, living so long and everyone he cares about dying—except you."_

"He may not want to be your lover, but he needs you."

The silence stretched out between them until finally, Jack broke it. "If you were anyone else, I'd say you didn't know what you were asking of me."

"I do know," the Doctor assured him.

"Then why—" Jack stopped himself abruptly. He sighed.

More silence. This time the Doctor spoke first.

"I think I should leave. Things are getting urgent, and…" he broke off, not knowing what other excuse he could make, and not wanting to make them to his friend. "You'll say goodbye to the others for me?"

Jack nodded.

"Jack, I'm sorry." The Doctor gripped the railing and tried to think of something encouraging to say. Finally, he gave up and resorted to hugging Jack.

He had expected Jack to say something—something to express his frustration, at the least. But his heavy breathing suggested that he didn't trust his voice for speech.

"I am so sorry," the Doctor repeated. He stroked the hair at the back of Jack's head once and pulled away.

* * *

_This is it,_ the Doctor thought. _This is the last visit before the adventure. This is when we'll have the big row._ He wondered if he really wanted to go through with this visit. _I won't rewrite it. This has got to be. One little change and Tsukiga might get away with his plot._ He steeled himself for whatever was ahead.

And was startled out of his senses by a sound like the wailing of a banshee.

"WHAT?" he cried, whirling around to face his viewing screen.

The screen was flashing mauve and Gallifreyan writing was flashing across it. Then a face faded through the commotion. It was the face of a light-haired, middle-aged man. The man seemed to look straight at him and say urgently,

"Doctor, help me!"

It was a Gallifreyan distress signal—no doubt about it. Did the face belong to another Timelord? But as quickly as his hopes rose, the Doctor crushed them down again. Of course, it wasn't. One good look at the man's eyes made it clear: This person had never looked into the Time Vortex.

He shook himself from his stupor and sprang into action. "I'm coming," he said, though he knew the man couldn't hear him. He rushed around the Tardis' core and did all he could think of to track the signal. However, the Tardis needed little encouragement. The signal grew stronger exponentially, and before long the blue police box struck some surface and came to a halt.

"Doctor!" the same voice was calling from outside the Tardis' doors.

The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and rushed outside.

His surroundings were white. The middle-aged man was standing just to his right. A few masked figures looked at the Doctor with obvious surprise showing in their eyes.

Behind the shocked people, a battered figure lay on a hospital bed.

"Doctor," the man repeated. Then he added, "Thank God, you're here at last."

The Doctor turned to him and studied his face carefully. The man was familiar, but the Doctor was sure he'd never been one of his regular companions. Suddenly, he realized.

"No… Steven?"

"Yes, Doctor. You've got to help me." Steven leaned closer. "Mum's been killed in an accident. I need you to bring her back."

The Doctor blinked. His head was spinning. Alice was dead. Steven wanted him to save her. To break the laws of time. He turned back toward the hospital bed as he realized whose was the battered figure. Alice Carter was pale, in stark contrast to the blood smeared across her skin where hundreds of tiny bits of glass had pierced it.

"Oh… Steven," he whispered.

"What the hell is this glorified phone box doing in my operating room?" an angry voice demanded.

The Doctor snapped out of his numbness and turned toward the white-coated man who was looking at the Tardis with such great disapproval. "Sorry about that. I'll move it just as soon as we're through. Now, clear the room."

"Who do you think you are?"

"I'm the Doctor."

"Oh, really?" the medical doctor scoffed. "Let's see your credentials."

The Doctor held up his psychic paper. "There. See? I'm the Doctor around here. Now go away and play with a defibrillator or something, there's a good boy."

The doctor read the paper. "No one said anything to me about bringing in a neurologist! The patient is gone—there's nothing we can do."

"I'll be the judge of that, thanks—now, clear out. I work alone."

The doctor led his orderlies out of the OR, muttering curses about what idiots he'd have to deal with next.

Once they were alone, the Doctor told Steven, "I'm not supposed to just decide who lives and dies, Steven."

"She's not meant to die! She's not even sixty."

_Not sixty?_ Alice hadn't been forty the last time the Doctor had seen her.

"Please, Doctor—I solved the puzzle because I knew you would come help me. You promised. You were great when I was a kid, but now I really need you. Please!"

The Doctor walked slowly to the hospital bed and gently took Alice's cold hand. She looked so different. Age and death had changed her, but he still saw the beautiful woman he had become so fond of. Tears formed in his eyes.

"It won't change the course of history," Steven went on. "I just need her a bit longer. I didn't even get to say goodbye."

The Doctor closed his eyes and the tears slipped through. "The signal's only good for one call, Steven. This is the only time I can help you."

"I understand."

When the Doctor looked back, Steven was holding the completed puzzle out to him.

"If you're able to recycle this, I'm sure someone else would love to have it one day."

The Doctor walked back across the room and took the puzzle from Steven. "I'll fetch the nanogenes," he said.

* * *

Minutes later, Alice opened her eyes. Steven was holding her hand and the Doctor was pocketing the tube of nanogenes behind her.

"Mum, you're all right."

"Yes, dear," Alice said immediately, though the Doctor thought she sounded disoriented. She sat up and hugged her son.

Steven held her tightly and looked at the Doctor over her shoulder. "Thank you," he mouthed silently.

The Doctor nodded and crept into the Tardis. As its core began whirring, he saw on the viewing screen that Alice had jumped up from her bed and run in her hospital gown to the blue box.

"Doctor, wait! Please!"

He stared grimly at her shaking form and watched Steven put his arms around her. He took the Tardis away, back to Cardiff Bay.

* * *

_Short again, I know. I hope to work on it more soon. Let me know what you think. Corrected spelling; if you spot any serious errors, feel free to point them out.  
_


	27. Parting

_Thanks to those of you who have followed the story this far. We're nearing the end, but there will be a few more after this chapter. Hope you enjoy :)  
_

* * *

Jack didn't show up until the next morning. When he found out the reason, the Doctor realized he should have guessed. Steven had called Jack as soon as he learned of the accident, and Jack had arrived at the hospital not long after the Doctor left.

"We're very grateful," Jack said in a tight voice. "But why did you leave without even speaking to her?"

"I felt I'd done enough."

"Dammit, Doctor, when are you going to realize how much you've hurt her? "

_This is it. This must be the fight,_ the Doctor thought. He knew it would be unpleasant, but he was glad to finally know the subject matter.

"She's waited and waited to see you again, and you've forgotten her."

The Doctor lifted his eyes to meet Jacks and said quietly, "Has it ever occurred to you that I have feelings, too?"

"Of course, it has." Jack looked at the ground. "You always seem to put them above everyone else's."

"That's not fair—don't you dare say that to me," the Doctor exclaimed, surprised at the harshness of his own voice.

Jack sighed. "I'm sorry. But I think you need to talk to Alice one more time. Let her thank you, at least. Let her tell you goodbye."

"We went through that once already."

"Please? I'm asking you as your friend."

The Doctor waited, but Jack seemed determined to let the Doctor speak next. Maybe he could face Alice again. Maybe… _Maybe this isn't the fight after all. Well, what the blazes is it about, then?_

"All right. I'll see her once more, Jack. But for both our sakes, please make it clear to her that this is the last time."

* * *

He watched Alice approach him. He couldn't read her face. He didn't know what to say.

"Doctor." Alice reached out to him, and they embraced.

"Alice, I—" he started.

"I know. It's all right. I was hurt and angry for a while, and it still makes me sad. But I think I understand now. I know you couldn't stay with us, and I know you couldn't take us with you. It wouldn't have been fair to ask either of you. We love you very much, but our planet needs you. Other worlds need you. And when you leave us, you aren't abandoning us—it's your way of staying with us forever. Because we know you're preserving our very existence: protecting our future. I'm only sorry you have to be alone." Alice squeezed him hard.

"Well…" the Doctor squeaked. "My word, I think you've taken everything I was going to say. Only you said it better."

She laughed. "I am so glad that I got to see you once more, though. My dear Doctor." She leaned back and looked at his face. "You look just as I remember you." She patted his hair on one side and straightened his tie. "You know, I think in your profession, a bowtie might be a bit more practical. It's harder for someone to grab you by, and it doesn't tend to get caught in things. And besides, they're cool."

The Doctor quirked an eyebrow, distracted. "You think so? I'll remember that." Then he said, "Oh, Alice… I hated leaving you then and I do now. You were really brilliant. You and Steven. It was like having family again. I s'pose that's why it was so hard. And I also hate how I babble when I'm trying to be sincere."

"That's the silver lining for me, though," Alice said, grinning at him. "I'll be sad over our parting for a long time, but it'll make me smile, too—to remember your babbling. By the way, Friendship Day is coming up soon. It's become very popular since Steven and I started it in our community. It's in the local paper every year, and people call the radio station to tell their gift ideas."

"Really? That's brilliant!" the Doctor could not have been more pleased. "That's so lovely that humans really liked such a timelord idea." He beamed at her. "So, I suppose it's come full circle now. I gave the idea to you, and you ran with it and here you are, giving it back to me. The perfect gift: the day itself."

Alice returned his smile, but tears were forming in her eyes. "Yes, it is lovely. It will always remind me of you."

"Bless you, Alice," he said quietly. "And all your descendants. And may the stars never hide themselves from your path," he added a Gallifreyan traveler's blessing. He kissed her forehead.

"Farewell," she said. "Remember me, and we'll always be together."

He nodded and they parted, moving slowly away from each other as if moving more quickly would tear something between them.

* * *

"Thank you," Jack said earnestly when the Doctor rejoined him.

The Doctor ignored him. "So. Who's left on the team?"

"Everyone, except… Martin—"

"Oh, no. Not Martin!"

"He's alive," Jack clarified. "He's just not on the team anymore."

"What happened?"

Jack took a deep breath. "After you left, I took what you said to heart. Martin has been my best friend for the last two years. It never once turned romantic, but we've gotten so close… I was starting to treat him like family. And I knew that if we got into a bad situation, I'd be thinking how I could ensure that Martin would be safe, not how we could achieve our objective, or how to protect the team as a whole."

The Doctor waited until Jack continued.

"I didn't know what to do, so I talked to him about it, and Martin suggested that he be deactivated. I didn't like the idea, but I couldn't think of anything else that would work. If he wasn't there, I wouldn't worry about him."

"Did you wipe his memory?"

Jack shook his head. "I should have. Because what he knows puts him in danger. And I know he would have let me. But I couldn't bring myself to do it—to make him think he'd been working for some boring foreign office for the last few years as a translator, to make it so he could look at me and not remember the years we worked and fought and even played together… It's selfish, but I love him too much." He waited for the Doctor to criticize his decision.

"It might do you good to have someone on the outside that you can confide in."

Surprised, Jack answered, "I guess so…"

"And even though his memories may be a burden, I'm sure he'll manage better now that he's not in the thick of it."

"Yeah."

They walked on in silence for a little while.

"You know, I think he'd like to see you."

"Martin? I think I'd like to see him."

Jack nodded. "Let's go to his place, then. It's the weekend; he'll be home."

"Oh," the Doctor said, spying a figure standing on the sidewalk.

"Doctor, that's Mary Burrows. Mary, come meet the Doctor."

"I'm so pleased to meet you," Mary said, approaching them.

She looked familiar, and in a moment, the Doctor placed her. "You're the little girl that saw us saying goodbye all those years ago."

She smiled at him. "That's right. Made me curious as anything. I came back here when I finished school mainly on the chance of finding out who on earth the two of you were. Jack won't explain everything to me, but some of my curiosity's been satisfied."

"Mary's a helpful source of information on the locals," Jack told the Doctor. "And she helps smooth out our dealings with the police once in a while."

"Excellent," said the Doctor. If there was one thing Jack had a knack for, it was collecting friends from all walks of life.

* * *

Martin was pleased to see the Doctor. They talked a long time about languages, and about their past meetings.

At length, the Doctor turned to Jack. "Do you think it would be all right if I took Martin to see how the Tetrapi are getting on?"

"Sure," Jack answered. "It's your Tardis."

Martin looked overwhelmed. "Really? That'd be grand. Could we go today?"

"Absolutely," the Doctor agreed. "Now, if you like."

"I'll just get my Wellies." Martin left the room, smiling brightly.

"I haven't seen him this excited for a long time," Jack commented. "It was a great idea."

"Do you want to come along?"

Jack considered. "If he seems nervous about going into the Tardis, I'll back him up. But as long as you can get him back before the day is out, it'll be fine."

"I'll do my best."

Jack walked them to the Tardis to see them off.

"Don't you let anything happen to him," he warned the Doctor.

"I won't," the Doctor said. Jack thought he looked uneasy.

"It'll be fine, Jack," Martin said confidently. "Besides, the Doctor said that thanks to the Tardis, I'll be able to talk with the Tetrapi perfectly. It's just what I've been wanting. After that… well, I want to come back to you of course, but if I peg out, you can know I died happy."

"Oh, shut up," Jack said, scooping Martin into a suffocating hug.

* * *

Jack's fears were needless. Martin and the Doctor found the Tetrapi well established, with no great danger of predators near their den.

"They're doing so well," Martin said. "And you were right; I can understand them as if they were speaking English. Thank you so much."

"Not at all," said the Doctor, pleased with Martin's enthusiasm. "It's the least I can do."

Martin smiled. "I wouldn't doubt it."

They spent a long day with the Tetrapi. When the local sun began to set on their planet, Martin said, "I suppose we ought to get back now."

"Are you ready?"

"Yes; I'd like to stay longer, but it would be more of the same. And I'm anxious about getting back to the right time and all… it's all a lot to take in."

"I know. You've borne up very well, considering all you've been exposed to." The Doctor turned toward the pool where many Tetrapi were lounging near the entrance of their den. "Thank you for talking with us; we must go back to our own world now."

"Farewell, Healer and friend; we will not forget your help," they answered.

They went back to the Tardis and the Doctor quickly set his instruments as accurately as he could.

"Anything I can do to help?" Martin asked, watching the Doctor's feverish activity.

"Ah…" the Doctor jogged around the central column. "not to be rude, but no."

"Okay," Martin said with a smile. He remained quiet until they came to a stop.

Once they regained their footing, the Doctor checked the viewing screen and then rushed to open the doors.

"Jack!" the Doctor called.

Jack approached them as they left the Tardis.

"Were we gone long?" the Doctor asked worriedly. "I got us back as soon as I could; only I didn't want to cross our timeline…"

"You went and came back already?"

"Yes…"

Jack smiled. "You weren't even gone five minutes."

"Oh." The Doctor's look of surprise melted into a self-satisfied grin. "Well, there now. You see? Nothing to worry about. I _am_ good."

"Yes, yes. You're a genius." Jack put an arm around Martin. "So, how was it?"

"It was… utterly incredible," Martin said, obviously grasping for big enough words. "So amazing. We were here, and then we were there, and we spent _hours_ with them… and now we're back and it's been five minutes! It's incredible."

The Doctor was pleased to see his friends so happy. "It all went very smoothly. Just the thing. So, I'll shove off and see you in two years, I s'pose."

Jack's expression instantly turned dark, and the Doctor knew he wouldn't get away that easily.

"Well, thanks again, Doctor," Martin said, not sensing anything wrong. "I'm very glad I got to see you and all. Come along home for a bit, Jack?"

"Not yet," Jack answered evenly. "I'll see you later."

Martin shook hands with the Doctor and nodded to Jack before walking happily away toward his home.

"Doctor," Jack said as soon as Martin was out of earshot, "this is the last time."

* * *

_*Cue Doctor Who credits music* Don't miss next week's exciting episode! ... yeah. :p Reviews welcome.  
_


	28. Argument

_Pipkin Sweetgrass, you spurred me on to finish this part early. xD Enjoy!_

_Be warned: At least one major DW spoiler in this chapter.  
_

* * *

"The last time," the Doctor repeated, not trying to process the meaning.

"Yes. To me, you'll be back in two years and then we'll go on that adventure you've been promising me. But to you, this is it. It's all over. So, what I want to know is: After that adventure is over for me, too, will I ever see you again? Will you come back for me and let me travel with you again, like we talked about?"

The Doctor looked at the ground. He thought about the urgent confrontation he was about to face. "I don't know that I'll be doing anything after this, Jack. I don't know that I'll see anyone again." He knew Jack wouldn't reveal what would happen. Maybe that would keep him from pressing the issue.

But Jack was far from done. "You remember I mentioned a good time to drop in on me would be a little while after the Four Five Six?"

The Doctor thought back. "Yes, I recall you mentioning it."

"Have you done that yet?"

"I… didn't know I was meant to."

"Then you haven't. So you will see me again, but will I see you after this?"

Something dawned on the Doctor then, and he didn't like it. He still wasn't one hundred percent convinced that Jack would become the Face of Bo, but he was sure enough. And if it were true, he would see his friend die for the last time without knowing who he was. "I'm quite certain you'll see me again," he said quietly.

Silence fell between them. Jack walked a few steps away, then turned back. "I just want to know that if you're able, you'll try. You told me after the year that never was that I could travel with you. Now that I've taken you up on it, will you at least try to keep up your offer?"

"It's not that simple. Things have changed."

"For instance?"

"I know you better now…"

"And you can't stand me?"

"No. It's just that…" _How can I word this?_ The Doctor thought desperately. How could he make Jack understand that their friendship was too close now? That he was too afraid of causing his friend pain? That Jack reminded him too strongly of what he had lost? "I suppose it's like Martin. I can't bear to cut you off, but you'd be too much of a liability if I took you with me."

"Liability! I can't die. What have we got to lose?"

_So much, Jack. So very much…_

"I know the hell you go through, Doctor. With as many times as I've gone back in time and lived and died over and over, I'm older than you now."

The Doctor frowned. "Surely not—"

"I am. I worked it out once. I'm thousands of years old. And I know how it is to lose every friend to mortality. I'm the only person you know that can hope to live as long as you do—you with your regeneration and me being undead."

Something in the Doctor was telling him not to listen, but something else was listening very closely.

"Like it or not, I'm the best companion you could have," Jack went on.

_No! I don't care if you outlive me—you're not better than Rose. Or Sarah Jane. Or Susan. Or any of them—you don't know what you're saying!_

"And you're the only person with a shot of living as long as I will. Steven went from being my grandson to my nephew to my brother, for the sake of my great-grandchildren. You're the closest thing I can have to a real family. Someone that won't have to take on an older role to fit me in. You may change from one regeneration to the next, but I'll be your constant. I'm the closest thing you can have to family, too. We need each other."

_What do you know about my family?_ the Doctor's mind was screaming now. _That part of me is dead. It's died too many times—there's absolutely no life left there…_

"Jack, you don't understand," the Doctor heard himself saying. "I'm sure you mean what you say, but you really don't know how it is for me. I can't…" He struggled to find helpful words, but they seemed to be purposely hiding from him. "I just can't," he finished, taking a step back toward the Tardis.

"You can't always run away," Jack persisted, his tone changing from persuasive to critical. "You can't keep abandoning the people you get close to because they're starting to feel like a family." He paused. "But then, that's what you've always done to family from the beginning—abandon them."

The Doctor's brown eyes flew open in shock as his hearts seemed to turn to ice. For a moment, no words would come to him; then they were flying out of his mouth faster than his mind could process them.

"How dare you! You have no right saying something like that to me—_no right!_ You talk about selfishness; well, how selfish do you think you sound, every time I see you, just moaning about how lonely you are and how—oh, Egracsteron," he cursed in Gallifreyan. "I can't abide to look at you!"

Then he turned on the heel of his Converse and disappeared into the Tardis, slamming the door behind him.

He could see Jack on the viewing screen, staring coldly at the closed Tardis doors. So he turned it off and began flipping switches as quickly as he could. He didn't bother to change times; only locations. He just needed to put space between them as soon as possible. Soon, the Tardis faded from Cardiff and reappeared on a corner in London. The corner near Rose's old apartment where it had rested long ago.

The Doctor leaned against the control panel, panting. His hearts seemed to be racing each other. He could feel the sweat all over his face as it cooled in the light stirring from the ventilation system. He hadn't felt so angry in a long, long time. But that didn't account for the tears in his eyes.

"How could you, Jack?" he whispered. "You ought to know better than that."

Then, he remembered: The argument. It had happened, just as Jack said it would, even though the Doctor had known it was coming. He had toyed with the idea of stopping it, and still it had come, and he'd forgotten all about it until just now.

He tried to remember what Jack had said about it, before the Tsukiga adventure…

"…_we had an argument. A serious one. And I said something I shouldn't have._ _It was something very harsh, and… it was stupid, really. I wanted to take it back the moment you left."_

The Doctor's breathing became calmer. Even though the argument was barely over, Jack had already apologized to him in his future and the Doctor's past. He forced himself to remember Jack's tone and expressions, reading his sincerity.

_"I know I can't expect you to forgive me…. But after it happens, if you think you can, I want you to come see me again, the day after you take me home this time. Even if it's for the last time—I just need to know that we're still friends."_

"Even if it's for the last time," the Doctor murmured. So, Jack had given in. He was willing to give up the idea of traveling with the Doctor if he could be forgiven.

* * *

Martin expected it to be Jack on the line, but when he answered his phone, it was the Doctor calling.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Martin, but I need to ask a favor."

"Of course, Doctor. Anything."

"I need you to do something for me. And you can't let Jack know that I called. I can't explain it, I'm afraid."

Martin waited for the Doctor to say more. Then he asked, "Well, what is it?"

"I want you to go down by the bay and find Jack, but don't let him see you. Tell me what he's doing. By the time you get there, I should have just left moments ago."

"You've gone back in time a bit to see what happened when you left?" Martin surmised.

"The less you know, the better, I'm afraid," the Doctor replied. "Will you do it?"

"Yes; I'll start at once."

Martin put on some shoes and grabbed a light jacket on the way out. The Doctor stayed on the phone throughout the walk, but they didn't talk.

"All right, I'm nearly there. No sign of the Tardis," Martin reported. "There's Jack—he's looking out over the water."

"How far away are you?" the Doctor asked. "Are you sure he won't spot you?"

"Quite sure." Martin fished his field glasses out of his jacket pocket. "He's facing away from me… no, now he's coming back toward the hub… now he's sitting on the curb." He adjusted the focus. "He's putting his head in his hands… God, I think he's crying. What happened?"

The Doctor's voice sounded heavy. "I'm sorry, I can't explain, Martin. I want you to go home again. Once you're there you can phone him and see if you can cheer him up, but don't let on that you know he's upset. And please, whatever you do, don't tell him you spoke to me."

* * *

_He'll never understand, _Jack thought as the Tardis faded away. Then he began thinking over the argument, wondering if he could have worded things better. He wondered why the Doctor had reacted so dramatically. _Was it because he doesn't do families? Why is that, anyway?_ Slowly, as his anger wore off, Jack began to recall a conversation he and the Doctor had had thirty years ago.

"_You're not supposed to outlive your children."_

_"Children. You had…? Oh, god. I'm so sorry…"_

_"They were… everything to me. And I didn't even understand it until they were gone."_

"The Time War," Jack said aloud. The Doctor had been forced to effectively destroy every timelord and dalek together to save the universe from being destroyed. That must have included members of his own family.

Then he recalled his last words to the Doctor: _"…that's what you've always done to family from the beginning—abandon them."_

"Oh, god," Jack choked. He turned away and went to look out over the bay. _How could I say that to him? I know how it is to sacrifice a family member to save a world—how could I be so insensitive to him? He must hate me._

Unable to endure thinking in words anymore, Jack started back toward the hub, but then he stopped. Someone might still be inside, and he didn't want anyone from the team to see him like this. He sat on the sidewalk and put his head in his hands. He couldn't keep the tears from flowing as he wondered if he would ever see his friend again after the thirty-year visit.

_Doctor, I'm so sorry. Please, please come back._

* * *

_Oh no! This can't be the end! (Don't worry; it's not.)  
_


	29. Change

_This is the final chapter. (Done at last!) You may think it should go on some more, but I have author's notes at the end suggesting a possible sequel later. For now, this is it. Hope you like it!  
_

* * *

The Doctor knew he was running out of time. He had done something for almost everyone… but not Jack.

It took a little nosing around, but he managed to find the intergalactic space bar where Jack was hanging out sometime after the defeat of the Four Five Six. He watched his friend from a distance. Jack looked tired, depressed, uninterested in his drink… and in need of a one-night stand.

Much as the Doctor ordinarily disapproved of Jack's cavalier behavior, it was the only thing he could think of that might pick him up—though he definitely wasn't volunteering for the job. He scanned the bar for a likely prospect… and spied Alonso Frame.

It was a long shot—he wasn't sure of Alonso's orientation. But he knew Alonso was at least friendly, and Jack could be very persuasive. He fished a scrap of paper from a pocket and scribbled a quick note.

"HIS NAME IS ALONSO"

When a waiter gave the note to Jack, their eyes met. Jack looked a little further gone than the Doctor had first thought—he looked like he wasn't understanding the message and would rather cross the room to talk to the Doctor.

The Doctor nodded toward Jack's left, and Jack followed his gaze. Then Jack looked back at the Doctor as if to say, "So? Why don't you come introduce us? Ohhhh…."

The Doctor gave Jack a subtle salute, to make it clear that that was all the communication he intended to deliver just now. Jack saluted him in return, with such obvious regard that the Doctor felt his stomach twist. Would he remember everything clearly after he had regenerated? Would he still be angry with Jack? Or would he remember Jack, but not the argument?

He headed for the exit, puzzling over the hundred thousand questions burning in his mind. His last glimpse of Jack showed the new acquaintances smiling flirtatiously at each other. Mission accomplished.

* * *

He could see the red-gold glow of energy around his hand. It was time. It was past time. He'd held it back as long as he possibly could; much longer than he'd managed to the last time. Solemnly, he set the Tardis in motion. He'd said goodbye to everyone in the only way he knew how. He knew he wanted to be near the Earth when he was reborn, but not in the same time and place as any of the friends he knew. He would orbit the earth until it was over, and then make his decision after. Perhaps the new Doctor would have some ideas.

He stood in front of the controls and waited as the glowing grew brighter around his face and hands. He felt the now-familiar tingling sensation as millions of cells began their change of identity. His breathing rate increased.

_It's time. Time to face it. It will be all right. But don't stop thinking just yet—remember! Remember everyone. Don't forget. Rose and Donna and Martha and Jack!_ Tears welled up in his eyes. _Rose and Jack! Don't forget them… Oh, god, really? Now?_

"I don't wanna go," he cried, knowing that there was no one to hear him—no one but the Tardis.

As the transforming energy exploded, the Tardis ignited with him. A part of the ship was gone forever, too, and it was being reborn. The last transition had been smooth compared with this. Before, the Doctor had absorbed the vortex, and he had had to change. He was safe. He was almost happy, considering the danger they had just escaped, Rose and him.

But now he was in agony. It was one of the best chapters of his life closing behind him. The Tardis reflected the difference much more visibly than the Doctor did.

It didn't hurt, really. It felt a little funny. A little like eating something you didn't really care for because you were starving. A little like waking up in the morning after a refreshing sleep. A little like waking up in the wrong bed.

"Legs!" It was the first thing he thought of, and it seemed a good start, so he went on assessing until he realized that he was…

"CRASHING! I'm crashing!"

* * *

Amy and Rory were doing fine. He'd agreed to come back, but it was time for them to have some semblance of a settled life while he did a little traveling on his own.

The Doctor grinned at the viewing screen where he could see his companions waving goodbye.

"Now… where was I going to go? When I was on my own, I was going to…" he looked around. "Is it just me, or are the auxiliary lights a bit dim in here? Best go to Cardiff and charge up the… OH! Cardiff!"

It wasn't that he'd forgotten Jack existed. It was just that Jack seemed like part of a different life. He didn't see that set of friends anymore—he'd sort of put them on hold while he made new friends.

"Yes… Cardiff. No matter what time I show up, he'll be there. If he has to wait a thousand years, he will be." _Or THIRTY years._ "Good heavens, I was supposed to see him every two years. Now, I'll need to—no, wait, that's done. It was after the thirty years." He tapped his head and tugged at his hair, thinking wildly. "It was the day after we got back, yes. That's when I was supposed to see him."

He couldn't quite remember why, but he was sure when he saw Jack, it would come back to him.

* * *

Jack waited in silence. He'd made sure the members of Torchwood had places to be, tasks to accomplish. If the Doctor showed up, he didn't want them to witness the reunion. If he didn't show up, Jack didn't want them wondering what he was waiting for.

He'd had a light breakfast, but it was past two now, and he was beginning to regret not eating lunch. _He won't come,_ he told himself. _Even if he did, he'd be here longer than it would take to go get something to eat._

Still, he waited. And waited.

And then he heard the whir of the Tardis materializing.

_He came. He really came. _Jack struggled to keep his hopes from rising too quickly. _Could he forgive me? Even so, he won't take me with him after that… He just needs to power up the Tardis…_

The box became opaque before him and the doors opened slowly. Then, out stumbled a gangly figure Jack didn't recognize.

"Aha ha!" the figure laughed. "Perfect landing. Perfect landing." He patted the Tardis. "Knew right where we were going, didn't you, old thing? Lovely!" He turned to meet Jack's gaze and his expression sobered.

Jack looked him over uncertainly. Brown hair… limp and fine instead of fluffy-spiky. A longer, more rounded face. A brown suit adorned with a bowtie. He was too tall. Too…

"Jack."

Jack caught his breath. He stepped toward the stranger, searching his eyes. Those eyes were not the comforting warmth of brown sugar that Jack hadn't realized he missed until now. They were cool and glittering, like gems reflecting the ocean.

"Is it you?" he asked at last, hating that he wasn't sure.

"Course it's me," the Doctor said, pulling out his sonic screwdriver, tossing it and catching it high in the air. "Whom were you expecting—Father Christmas?"

This sarcasm was off. The Doctor could be sarcastic, of course, but this wasn't his style. Even the screwdriver looked different. The Tardis was the wrong shade of blue. This felt like an imposter. Jack took another step closer, not knowing what to say.

"You like my tie?" the Doctor asked carelessly. "Bowties are cool. You know, it was Alice told me that… Alice, your daughter. Your family. Alice."

_He's completely different. He's gone. I can't recognize him at all—but it's him._ The reference to family had clinched it. He was showing that he remembered the last thing they had discussed. Jack was breathing very hard now. "Doctor," he said, his voice strained. "I… I'm so sorry…"

"Shh," the Doctor interrupted him. "Shush, shush, shush. You know I've already forgiven you or I wouldn't be here." He held out a hand.

Jack bypassed the hand and wrapped the Doctor in his arms. "I didn't mean to hurt you like that—you're my best friend," Jack sobbed. "I hate myself for it."

"Always talking about yourself, Jack. You haven't changed a bit," the Doctor chided. But his voice was soft now, and his hands were moving up to hold Jack in a gentle embrace. "You're forgiven. You don't need to go on apologizing. 'Sides," he added a little louder, "I remember everything, now. You said you wanted to take it back the moment I left, isn't that right? And I know it's true, 'cause I had Martin spy on you. Don't be cross with Martin. He did it for your own good."

Relief and confusion had reduced Jack to a mess of hot tears. Being forgiven was good, but he wasn't sure his old friend—_his_ Doctor—was the one who had forgiven him. "Doctor," he whispered, just to get a response.

"It's all right, Jack," the Doctor answered. He ran his hand through Jack's short hair. "Trust me. I'm the Doctor."

"You're so different," Jack muttered into his neck.

"Only to be expected."

"You even smell different."

"You don't. And that's not a bad thing, mind."

Jack choked out a laugh. Then he tightened his grip. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"Well… it has been rather a long time," the Doctor admitted, pulling back so they could look at each other again. "I'm a couple of years older now."

"Years?"

"That's right. I've had to transition too, you know. As you say, I'm very different. I had to get to know myself. This time round, I wanted to do that with strangers." The Doctor shrugged. "You never know how these things are going to go."

Jack tentatively brushed the Doctor's bangs back and ran his fingers down that soft, foreign face.

"Still not ginger," the Doctor said in an apologetic tone.

Jack laughed again. "Have you been holding out for ginger?"

"Well, I always have a little hope."

"I see."

"Oh, great scot, there's Mary Burrows!"

Jack turned to look, and sure enough, there was the woman herself. Observing him once again beside a blue archaic police box. And once again in the arms of another man.

She arched an eyebrow at them when she knew she'd been spotted, and she looked as if she wanted to laugh but wasn't sure it would be appropriate.

Jack released his death-grip on the Doctor and stepped back slowly, wiping the half-dried tears off his face. "No one's in the hub, Mary," he called to her.

"Well, I just came to drop this off," she answered, walking toward them and holding out a file folder to Jack. "Who's your friend?"

"I'm the Doctor. Pleased to meet you again."

She blinked in puzzlement. "But… you're not the same man…"

"No, quite right. Quite right. But I am the same person. Or perhaps the other way round."

Jack couldn't help grinning. His relief was leaving him somewhat giddy. He felt his core shivering from post-shock adrenaline as he exhaled. "Don't worry about it, Mary," he said. "It'll only confuse you."

"Are you all right?" Mary asked, obviously noticing his trembling.

"Yeah," he assured her. "I'm fine. Great."

Her concern satisfied far more than her curiosity, Mary left them.

"Nice woman," the Doctor commented. "Now… once the Tardis is up to par, do you think you'd like to come along?"

A fresh wave of shock washed over Jack. "I… I don't know. I thought…" _Get a grip,_ he told himself. _This is what you wanted. But… I don't deserve it._ "How long do you think it will be?"

"A few hours, maybe? I could wait until tomorrow. Give you a chance to set things in order and say your farewells."

Jack licked his lips. _I want to. But something's bound to go wrong. _"Doctor—I love you," he said frankly, bracing himself for whatever the reaction might be.

"I've always known that, Jack. I'm terribly sorry about it. It will make things awkward and difficult, to be sure, but I think I can bear up if you can," the Doctor said, much more objectively than he would have done before his regeneration. "And—I've got a cryogenic freezer in the Tardis now. So either way, I'll be taking the Master."

Jack's head snapped up. He knew then that he had to go. Because there was no way in hell he was going to let the Doctor put himself in the danger of the Master's company without anyone to back him up. He also knew that after all the trouble he'd gone through to help the Doctor obtain the Master's body, there was no way in hell he'd let him have all the excitement.

"Is there room for Gray in that freezer, too?"

"And to spare."

Jack nodded. "Then I guess…" he hesitated, looking at the folder Mary had given him. _Can they handle this without me? Will I regret leaving them?_

"If you're worried about your team," the Doctor said lazily, as if he'd read Jack's thoughts, "I think I have a solution."

He tossed an object toward Jack, and at first Jack thought it was the sonic screwdriver. But when he opened his hand, he realized what it was: the puzzle the Doctor had given to Steven so many years ago.

"They can get hold of us in the Tardis any time, any place with that one-use distress call." The Doctor smiled a crooked smile. "Come on-I'm your 'best friend.' How about it?"

The shock adrenaline was wearing off, only to be replaced by the tingle of excitement. Jack closed his hand around the puzzle. "I'm in."

* * *

_THE END_

_Author's note: I know you are probably thinking, What happens if/when they wake up the Master/Gray/both? Well, that's a whole other can of worms that is more than enough material for a substantial sequel, so I may write another one later._

_Here's the thing: Fun as the 11th Doctor is, I'd much rather write Ten. So if/when I write a sequel, I may alter the details a little so that the Doctor doesn't have to regenerate after all. Then we can have another fun Jack/Ten adventure. But by all means, leave your opinion/preference in your review. :)  
_


End file.
